Tinystar's Beginning: Into the Wild
by Twilidramon
Summary: What if Scourge went into the forest instead of Rusty? What if they weren't the only ones who had changed places? Follow Shoe as he leaves the comfort of his kittypet life to become Tinypaw, apprentice of ThunderClan, and uncovers a secret that could change ThunderClan forever. Can this tiny cat become the greatest warrior of them all? Rated T for safety. **COMPLETE**
1. Allegiances

**So, there was an interesting idea posed on Tumblr - "What if Rusty and Scourge traded places?" And I, being the crazy person I am, decided to run with it.**

**Yes - this story is about what would have happened if Scourge was the one to join ThunderClan, rise through its ranks, and become its leader, instead of Rusty.**

**But Rusty and Scourge aren't the only cats who have traded places! Oh, what twists and turns lay ahead?**

**For the most part, this story is largely experimental - depending on its reception, I'll either keep writing it or I'll just let it go on hiatus. Writing it is not terribly hard, but it is just as taxing on my resources as anything else, if not more so, thanks to the way I'm writing it. I cannot guarantee an update schedule, as I have a lot on my plate - I will do what I can, when I can.**

**This story _does_ follow the plot of the books. For the most part, I have done my best to keep the original narrative alive within my own style. What happens is, for the most part, the same - but its the different cats in different places that will make things change; not to mention the fact that there _will_ be events in this series that do not happen in the books - so be aware of those things coming!**

**Enjoy!**

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**ALLEGIANCES:**

* * *

**THUNDERCLAN:**

Leader: Tigerstar – big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws _(Ravenpaw)_

Deputy: Redtail – small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail _(Dustpaw)_

Medicine Cat: Spottedleaf – beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat

Warriors:

Lionheart – magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane _(Graypaw)_

Bluefur – blue-gray she-cat with a silver muzzle _(Tinypaw)_

Oakheart – a reddish brown tom

Whitestorm – big white tom _(Sandpaw)_

Darkstripe – sleek black-and-gray tabby tom

Longtail – pale tabby tom with dark stripes

Runningwind – swift tabby tom

Willowpelt – very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Mousefur – small dusky brown she-cat

Apprentices:

Ravenpaw – sleek black tom with a white tail-tip

Dustpaw – dark brown tabby tom

Graypaw – long-haired gray tom with a dark stripe along his spine

Tinypaw – very small black tom with one white paw

Sandpaw – pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Queens:

Frostfur – white-pelted she-cat with beautiful blue eyes (mother of Cinderkit, Brackenkit, Thornkit, and Swiftkit)

Brindleface – pretty tabby (expecting)

Speckletail – pale tabby, eldest queen (mother of Brightkit and Snowkit)

Elders:

Halftail – big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing

Smallear – gray tom with small ears, eldest ThunderClan tom

Rosetail – light ginger she-cat with a pinkish-orange tail

Patchpelt – small black-and-white tom

One-eye – pale gray she-cat, eldest cat in ThunderClan; virtually blind and deaf

Dappletail – once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat

* * *

**SHADOWCLAN:**

Leader: Brokenstar – long-haired dark brown tabby

Deputy: Blackfoot – large white tom with huge black paws

Medicine Cat: Runningnose – small gray-and-white tom

Warriors:

Stumpytail – brown tabby tom _(Brownpaw)_

Boulder – silver tabby tom _(Wetpaw)_

Clawface – battle-scarred brown tom _(Littlepaw)_

Nightpelt – black tom

Apprentices:

Brownpaw – mottled brown-and-ginger tabby tom

Wetpaw – gray tabby tom

Littlepaw – brown tabby tom

Queens:

Dawncloud – small tabby

Brightflower – black-and-white she-cat

Elders:

Ashtail – thin gray tom

* * *

**WINDCLAN:**

Leader: Tallstar – black and white tom with a very long tail

Deputy: Deadfoot – solid black tom with a twisted paw

Medicine Cat: Barkface – a short-tailed brown tom

Warriors:

Mudclaw – mottled dark brown tom _(Webpaw)_

Tornear – tabby tom _(Runningpaw)_

Onewhisker – young, lithe brown tabby tom _(Whitepaw)_

Apprentices:

Webpaw – dark gray tabby tom

Runningpaw – light gray-and-brown tabby she-cat

Whitepaw – small white she-cat

Queens:

Ashfoot – a gray queen

Morningflower – tortoiseshell queen

* * *

**RIVERCLAN:**

Leader: Crookedstar – huge light brown tabby with a twisted jaw

Deputy: Swiftclaw – black-and-white tom

Medicine Cat: Mudfur – long-haired light brown tom

Warriors:

Blackclaw – smoky black tom _(Heavypaw)_

Leopardfur – unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

Brambleclaw – big dark brown tabby tom _(Shadepaw)_

Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell she-cat

Loudbelly – a dark brown tom _(Silverpaw)_

Silverstream – pretty slender silver tabby she-cat

Apprentices:

Heavypaw – stocky, thickset tabby tom

Shadepaw – very dark gray she-cat

Silverpaw – solid silver-gray tom

Queens:

Graypool – a thin, very dark gray she-cat with a scarred pelt

Elders:

Goldenflower – pale ginger tabby she-cat

* * *

**CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS:**

Rusty – handsome ginger tom, kittypet

Smudge – plump black-and-white kittypet

Barley – black-and-white loner, lives on the farm close to the forest

Yellowfang – old dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

_The night was dark and still._ The moon was just beginning to rise over the tree tops, turning the edges of the leaves silver, as if they were lined with starlight. The first stars in a thick band were beginning to appear in the indigo sky, their brightness not quite outshining the moon.

Down below, in a rocky clearing studded with deep, gouging valleys and great, gray boulders, there was movement. The powerful shoulders of a she-cat were turned silver as she prowled out of the undergrowth and into the open, her bright, brilliant blue eyes darting back and forth. Her blue-gray fur was turned silver by the moonlight, her muscles rippling like water.

More cats followed her, silently. Their sleek shapes crouched low, and only the sound of their breathing could be heard. The blue-gray she-cat opened her mouth to scent the air, her whiskers twitching with foreboding, and she pricked her ears at the stench that hit her scent glands.

A river cut a deep channel just on the other side of the great gray-brown boulders, separating it from the land beyond, which was filled with long, green-brown, tufty grass and reeds with little other cover for cat or prey. Movement flickered on the river, and the blue-gray she-cat stiffened her muscles, feeling the cats beside her do the same.

The sleek, dark, wet body of a cat slid out of the water, the growing moonlight casting it, too, into silver, just as it did everything else in the rocky clearing. The blue-gray she-cat watched, her eyes narrowing to furious slits, as the sturdy, well-muscled body of the wet cat climbed casually onto one of the rocks, his amber eyes gleaming in satisfaction.

More shapes came from the river – more cats with the same sleek, dark, wet pelts. Water shed from their fur like it was made of duck's feathers, and a fishy stench came from them that made the lips of the cats crouching near the undergrowth on the other side curl.

Finally, the blue-gray she-cat raised her head and yowled, "ThunderClan – attack!"

The clearing was alive with yowling, screeching, fighting cats. The blue-gray she-cat leaped at the sturdy tom atop the boulder, who stood arrogantly with his head high, but was intercepted by a sleek-furred tabby tom. His shoulders were broad, and he was big, but the blue-gray she-cat was able to nimbly dodge his blows from clumsy, wet paws and then score her claws down his flank. With a yowl of pain, he fled to the river.

As she made her move towards the cat atop the rock, she was intercepted again. This time by a small tabby. She did her best to dodge their blows, but one mistimed maneuver later their claws pierced her fur, slicing over her shoulder and spilling her blood across the stones.

Blood roared in her ears as she grabbed her opponent's tail in her teeth and clamped down as hard as possible. She tasted blood, and heard the squeal of her foe. She let them go, sending them back from whence they came.

A shriek pierced the night, and the blue-gray she-cat leaped into a pile of writhing cats who were attacking a Clanmate. The small brown she-cat's shoulder was wounded terribly – not as badly as the blue-gray she-cat's, though. She batted away her Clan mate's opponent and yowled, "Quick, Mousefur – run!"

The dusky-brown she-cat's eyes were full of gratitude. She sprang up and limped away as fast as possible, disappearing into the shadows. The blue-gray she-cat sent Mousefur's attackers away with a flurry of ferocious claws and a yowl of battle-fury. They fled, tails between their legs.

A pang of worry flashed through the blue-gray she-cat. She sprang onto one of the large boulders, looking out over the battle, trying to catch her breath. ThunderClan warrior after ThunderClan warrior were fleeing back into the undergrowth, their wounds minor, but fear and defeat in their eyes.

"Bluefur! We cannot win this battle!" a cat called. Bluefur blinked, looking at a small, sturdy ginger-and-black splotched tom, his long, dark ginger tail limp. "We must retreat!"

"We can still win, Redtail!" Bluefur called reassuringly. Fury flashed through her pelt – surely Redtail did not think ThunderClan warriors weak and cowardly? "We will not lose Sunningrocks to RiverClan while I yet draw breath!"

"You will be remembered to StarClan for your bravery, Bluefur," Redtail said approvingly, though his eyes showed just how hopeless the battle had become. "But the day you join our warrior ancestors will not be today."

Bluefur bristled, though she felt touched by his praise. She turned away from him and scanned the crowd of fighting cats once more. Sleek, water-drenched cats were moving further and further up the shore, their eyes gleaming with triumph as their ThunderClan foes scattered, wounded, before them. She would not retreat without a fight, no matter what Redtail said!

She found her cat she was looking for. He was big and broad, his fur white, patched with black. "Swiftclaw!" she yowled.

The black-and-white tom batted away his ThunderClan opponent, sending the strong tomcat fleeing for the trees. Swiftclaw curled his lip, showing his teeth, and snarled, "Bluefur! Come to face me, have you?"

Bluefur did not reply. She sprang instead, claws unsheathed, and landed a whisker away from Swiftclaw. She lashed out with her claws, trying to slice him, but they passed harmlessly through his oily pelt. Bluefur curled her lip at him.

"RiverClan will never own Sunningrocks! This is ThunderClan territory!" she snarled defiantly.

Swiftclaw bowled her over, placing a strong paw on her shoulder to pin her down. His fur still dripping wet, he snarled back, "After tonight, Bluefur, this will be just another RiverClan hunting ground!"

Bluefur spat, "Never!"

Swiftclaw raised his paw to strike her, his claws gleaming in the moonlight, but the blow never came. A flash of dappled red streaked through the clearing, and Swiftclaw's weight was lifted. Bluefur sat up, finding Redtail now tussling with Swiftclaw. Redtail was far smaller than Swiftclaw, the tom dodging around Swiftclaw's heavy blows and landing blows of his own here and there. Swiftclaw _hiss_ed in frustration as the ThunderClan deputy evaded his claws.

Redtail streaked around a large boulder, reappearing on the other side. The sound of the river and the yowling of fighting cats concealed what occurred behind the boulder. Bluefur mounted another boulder, raising her head to look for Redtail. Finally, she saw him streaking around the other side of the boulder, his tail bushed like a fox's. The ginger-dappled tom leaped onto a rock and yowled:

"ThunderClan, _retreat!"_

The yowl echoed off the rocks, reaching the ears of all the remaining ThunderClan fighters. They landed their final blows and streaked away into the shadows. Bluefur narrowed her eyes at Redtail, and the ThunderClan deputy met her gaze evenly. He did not like the idea of giving up Sunningrocks to the fish-eaters, either.

She reluctantly retreated, her tail low, her shoulders hunched, her eyes narrowed. She glared at the RiverClan warriors. They sat upon the rocks, yowling in triumph, their black silhouettes outlined in the bright moonlight.

With one last frustrated lash of her tail, Bluefur disappeared into the undergrowth.

* * *

Moonlight streamed down, unimpeded, into a hollow within a ravine, hidden away by a wall of gorse and protective thorns. It washed against a large, gray boulder that sat in the middle of the camp, turning it silver. A faint breeze rustled the leaves of the bushes and leaves that formed the protective dens of the cats who lived within the camp.

A massive tabby tom slipped out from within a gap in the moon-touched rock. His powerful shoulders were outlined by the moonlight, his well-toned muscles rippling beneath his thick dark brown tabby pelt. Huge paws pounded silently against the stone as he leaped onto the rock, looking out over his camp.

He craned his neck, his ears pricked, as if he could hear the sounds of his warriors in the forest. He sighed.

Another cat slipped out from a tumble of rocks, ferns brushing her pelt, to join him. The slender tortoiseshell she-cat, her amber eyes wise beyond her years, moved silently to sit beside the huge tabby tom. Though he dwarfed her, she looked up at him confidently.

"How is Mousefur?" the tabby asked, his voice a low, deep rumble.

"She will heal," the she-cat replied confidently. "Her wound was deep, but she is young and strong."

"At least that is certain," the tabby murmured, flicking an ear.

The tortoiseshell did not reply. She lifted her head, looking at the stars. The huge tabby blinked at her, his amber eyes calm and wondering. "Have StarCan spoke to you recently, Spottedleaf?"

"Not for some moons, I'm afraid," Spottedleaf replied. Her warm eyes remained fixed on the stars, especially on the thick band that curved around the moon like a river. "But I am confident that they are still with us."

"Then that is all we need," the tabby conceded.

Suddenly, a bright light streaked across the starlit sky. The huge tabby looked at Spottedleaf, finding that her warm amber eyes were round and focused, her pupils following the star as it touched the ground miles upon miles away. The fur along her spine bristled from her shoulders to her tail, and she dug the claws of her small, neat, dappled paws into the earth.

The tabby, questions burning in his mind, remained silent, waiting for Spottedleaf to speak.

"It was StarClan!" she meowed breathlessly, as if the streak in the sky had stolen the air from her lungs. "Tigerstar, StarClan have spoken to me! It was a small sign, but it was a _sign!"_

Tigerstar flicked his tail. "What did they say?" he asked.

Spottedleaf met Tigerstar's eyes, amber to amber, and meowed ominously, "They told me that even the tiniest cat is capable of great things. They told me… that this tiny cat has the power to save the Clan."

_A small cat?_ Tigerstar wondered. _But how can a small cat fight hard enough to save our Clan?_

No doubt flickered in Spottedleaf's warm eyes. The fact that she seemed so certain made Tigerstar feel less anxious. Finally, he dipped his head and meowed deeply, "Very well, Spottedleaf. If this is what StarClan has told you, then it must be so."

"What will we do?" Spottedleaf wondered. "How are we to find this tiny cat?"

Tigerstar's whiskers twitched. "Now that, my dear Spottedleaf, is something I think _I_ can handle…"


	3. Chapter 1

**Here is the first chapter! It's rather long, so hopefully it (and the things I've added in) will sate you all for a while. **

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_Moonlight touched the meadow, turning_ nearly every blade of grass silver. A light, warm breeze rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees; a silent, soft sound that was hardly noticeable. A young tomcat prowled through the long grass, his fur sleek and his paws making no sound. His ears were pricked, and his icy-blue eyes, darting from side to side, trying to find the source of the tiny heartbeat he felt deep within his ear fur.

He located the creature, scrabbling between two long blades of grass, a seed between its paws. The tomcat's belly rumbled – he had not eaten since that morning, and he was beginning to feel it. The savory smell of the mouse made his mouth water. Soon, his hunger pangs would be satisfied.

The tomcat came within range of his prey, his pawsteps quick and soundless. With a leap and a flash of claws, his supper would be in his belly – all he had to do was make that leap and…

A loud rattling sound brought the tomcat to a halt. The mouse pricked its ears and, in an instant, stuffed its seed into its mouth before darting off into the shadowed woods. The tomcat sat up, lips curled around his teeth, wondering what it was that had stolen his prey from him.

The rattling sound came again, louder this time, and suddenly the tom woke up.

His eyes opened blearily to find the large, hairless shape of one of his housefolk, wearing soft sheets all over their body, tipping some food into his dish. The pellets were dry, but the smell of them made the young cat's mouth water. He waited until his housefolk were gone before he slipped from his nest to eat.

The hard floor felt strange on his paws, where he yearned to feel grass and earth, like he had in his dream. It had been so real this time, like he was really there, in the woods, hunting for prey!

Mouse-scent lingered in his nose as he munched on a few mouthfuls of the pellets. It wasn't as tasty as he imagined a mouse would be – all that pure, meaty, forest flavor – but it filled up his stomach and he figured it would do just fine for now, even if it wasn't what he desired.

The kitchen where his housefolk prepared their own meals was silent, moonlight filtering through the strange pane that covered the windows, preventing him from falling out into the outside world. Metallic objects – some that pumped out water in strange, metal-tasting rivers, some that did other things the young tom wasn't aware of – gleamed white in the moonlight.

He lapped up some of that metallic water – it was dry and hot inside the nest, and it hadn't rained in a few days. He preferred drinking from puddles, or licking dew off of the grass, but it was too late for such things. Sighing and forcing a luxurious stretch out of his small body, he padded towards the cat-flap that would take him outside.

Slipping through, he found himself in his backyard. It was a large space of close-cropped grass, bordered by a wooden fence, marking the young cat's boundaries. Gardens of large, fragrant plants were scattered about the yard, and the small tomcat slipped behind one to make his dirt.

Coming out afterward, he padded towards his fence and scrambled to the top, his claws long and strong. He balanced himself on a fence post, finding it easier than most cats because of his small paws. He pricked his ears and stared out into the meadow beyond his fence, and into the shadows of the woods that lay beyond.

He closed his eyes, taking in the smells that had permeated his dreams for a moon now. The smell of leaves, of earth, of stone, and of water, untainted by housefolk and their strange, alien smell. He leaned forward a little, wanting to drink it all in – was his mouse waiting out there? If he dropped down into the meadow, would he catch one? He thought he smelled that mouse, just a faint scent…

_All I have to do is leap…_ he thought.

"Shoe, what're you up to?"

The black cat sat up abruptly, the bell on his collar ringing treacherously. He glared down at the collar, wanting to claw it off of him. In his dream he had been free of it, feeling the breeze where the collar usually pinched his fur. He jabbed at it crossly with his single white forepaw, picking at it with his claw.

"Nothing, Rusty," he meowed back, glancing at the slim, handsome ginger tom now balancing on the fence beside him. He looked at Rusty enviously – a housecat though he was, he wore not collar, and there was a deep cleave in one of his ears, from a fight he had gotten into in the woods. _He_ could go anywhere and do anything he wanted, it seemed. He had the freedom that Shoe secretly longed for. "Just looking."

"You be careful if you're thinking of going into those woods, Shoe," Rusty meowed, his voice low and soft, so as to not wake the other housecats. He flicked his tail against Shoe's shoulder affectionately. "I'd hate to see you get hurt."

"It would only be a moment…" Shoe meowed defensively.

"I was only in the woods a moment when I was your age," Rusty pointed out. "Then I met an angry she-cat who gave me this nasty nick in my ear."

"Funny," Shoe _purr_ed, "all the she-cats around here are absolutely moony for you!"

Rusty _purr_ed back. He gave Shoe a playful nudge and then said, "Just you wait, little brother – all the she-cats will be padding after you in a moon or so! They think little ones like you are just the cutest thing!"

Shoe felt his fur grow warm. Rusty was a popular cat around here, and Shoe felt fortunate to be his kin… even if the only blood they shared came from their father. Shoe was the smallest of his mother's litter, and the smallest cat in the Twolegplace, he wagered. He was half the size of the cats his age, and Rusty towered over him, even though he was only a few seasons older.

"I don't know," Rusty said suddenly, his voice quiet, his green eyes flashing. "I might just have to choose one of them someday…" He blinked, and then said, "So… are you planning on going into the woods or not, Shoe?"

Shoe blinked out into the meadow beyond his garden. He clutched the fence with his claws, his spine bristling. Flicking his tail from side-to-side, he mumbled, "I don't know. Are there really wildcats out there, Rusty?"

"There are," Rusty replied. "My ear's proved that, if nothing else."

Shoe tried to think of what he would do if he got into a fight with a cat like the one who had wounded his half-brother. A savage, fearless, bloodthirsty cat who ate bones and kits like him for breakfast before moving on to devour dogs and even other cats their own size! His paws trembled at the thought.

Rusty _purr_ed, "I hope Smudge hasn't been scaring you, Shoe."

Shoe tried to swallow his fear, but his tongue and throat were too dry. Smudge, a cat from another garden nearby, was a good friend of Shoe's… but he tended to exaggerate more often than not, especially about things he didn't know, or things that frightened him.

"Henry caught a robin out there once, you know," Rusty meowed, light encouragement in his tone.

"Henry did no such thing!" Shoe said indignantly. "That fat old tabby could catch a robin if it came right up to his nose and pecked him in the face. Ever since he visited the vet, Henry hasn't done anything but eat and sleep!"

Rusty _purr_ed in amusement at Shoe's rigid counterattack. "If that fat old tabby can catch a robin…" Rusty meowed carefully, "why can't _you_ try for a mouse at least?"

_Mouse!_ It was as if Rusty had climbed into his dream. Shoe could practically taste the furry creature, despite never having actually tasted one before. The thought of a mouse caught between his paws, killed by his own claws, its fresh smell wafting into his nose… it made his tail tremble.

Rusty grunted, satisfied in the reaction he had gotten from his half-brother. He pressed his nose against Shoe's forehead and murmured, "Whatever you decide to do in life, Shoe… remember that the size of your body doesn't matter. It's the size of your spirit that matters… and what you're willing to do with it."

Shoe blinked, watching his half-brother as the ginger tom waved his tail in farewell. Shoe watched him pad along the fence, disappearing into one of the gardens that bordered Shoe's home. Whether it was his garden or not, Shoe didn't know.

_What did he mean?_ Shoe wondered. His half-brother had sounded so… different just then. As if he knew that Shoe doubted himself so wholeheartedly. Claws digging deeper into the wood of his fence post, Shoe stared out into the meadow.

_What lies out there?_ He asked himself, _What mysteries, what wonders? I surely can't see it all in one night…_

_Should I go?_

A small voice inside told him that if he didn't, he would never have the chance again. Shoe swallowed his apprehension, clinging to Rusty's words like cobwebs to a bush's leaves. Then, he bunched his haunches beneath him, sheathing his claws, and leaped off of his fence post.

He seemed to hang there, suspended in mid-air forever. Air whistled past his ear, filling his ears with voices from owners that Shoe didn't know, but the sound gave him an unusual sense of comfort. His confidence grew when he landed, feeling the long grass _swish_ against his sleek pelt and the soft earth beneath his paws. All the scents and sounds… it was just like his dream!

Except this time, it was real.

_If Henry can catch a robin, then I can surely catch a mouse!_ Shoe decided stubbornly. He opened his jaws, trying to find the scent of a mouse… only to be overwhelmed by the multitude of scents that lay beyond his garden. Standing upon his fence post, wishing… that was different. Now, he was immersed in the world he had wanted to step paw in for a moon, and he worried it might sweep him off of his paws.

Finally, he picked out the scent of mouse. He dropped down slowly, not wanting his bell to give him away. He began to stalk forward as silently as possible, trying to keep his paws from snapping any twigs or rustling any leaves. It seemed like too much to keep track of, but the exhilaration or reenacting his dream pulsed through his paws like a heartbeat, and he kept going.

A strange scent crossed paths with the mouse, and Shoe flicked his ears at it. It was nasty, like a dog, but smelling like rotting flesh. He blinked, trying to push it out of his mind and focus on the mouse, but it persisted, getting stronger as he neared his prey.

_I'll just catch this mouse and be off,_ he decided, forcing himself to ignore the horrible odor.

Suddenly, the bracken swished and _rustle_d. The mouse, alerted to the presence of a foe, perked up and fled, streaking through the undergrowth. Shoe spat angrily, fur flaming his pelt with frustration. It had been exactly like his dream… and now he was truly _living_ his dream, interruptions and all!

He looked up, glaring into the bracken. The stench came from that bush in particular, and he caught sight a very bushy bit of reddish fur, tipped with white. Shoe cocked his head, unsure if this was a cat or a dog, but with another furious _rustle_, the tail was gone, and the scent began to fade.

Shoe cursed, "Mouse dung!" How unfair! Rusty had encouraged him to venture into the wilds behind his garden, and now Shoe's hopes were being dashed.

He prowled to the middle of the meadow, sitting down, his tail flicking back and forth with his frustration. If only he could get his claws into that fluffy ginger… whatever it was! At least _that_ part of him could not be underestimated.

Perhaps there was another mouse around here, though? Shoe decided to follow that thought, and opened his jaws to scent the air. However, it was so rank from the strange ginger creature that Shoe could hardly distinguish one scent from another. Frustrated, he clawed at the grass.

Another sound alerted him – something else _rustl_ing about in the bracken. Claws unsheathed, Shoe looked determinedly at the waving fronds. If that red-pelted thing wanted to come back, then Shoe would be very happy to show it just how frustrated it had made him!

_Come and face me,_ he thought, blood roaring in his ears. Every muscle was on edge, and he patiently – yet impatiently – awaited the moment when he could view his new enemy. What if it was the she-cat who had clawed Rusty? He couldn't think of what he might do if he was faced with the powerful cat who had clawed his half-brother.

The bracken rustled furiously once more, and then was still. Shoe unbent his spine, confused, his fur lying flat. What was going on? Was it gone?

He caught the scent of cat just as his opponent rammed headfirst into his side. Shoe's breath left him in a gasp, and he tumbled to the ground, paws flailing wildly to land a blow on his attacker. The roar of blood in his ears grew louder, and he unsheathed his claws, digging them into his opponent's thick fur. He opened his eyes to try and get a look at the cat, but all he could see was a whirl of a dark gray pelt before another paw batted him hard over the head.

Shoe managed to use his smaller side to wriggle away from his attacker. He felt their breath hot on his heels, but he dared not look back – he kept his eyes on his garden fence, and he bolted for it, fear making his heart race.

And yet…

_Turn around!_

_Face him!_

That voice… it sounded like Rusty, as if his braver half-brother had invaded his thoughts and was urging him on. Shoe knew he couldn't run any more – he would only be seen as a coward by the cats he loved and respected… He didn't want to let them down. He didn't want to let _himself_ down.

Shoe turned about and bared his teeth, bending his spine and fluffing up his fur to try and make himself look bigger. He braced himself, ready for the next blow.

It never came.

"Oh, so you decided not to run, kittypet kitten?"

Shoe blinked at his opponent. He was a tom, by the smell, and seemed to be about the same age as Shoe. He stood in the moonlight with thick, fluffy gray fur and bright amber eyes that sparkled playfully, as if he didn't think Shoe much of a threat at all. A thick band of fur ran down the cat's spine and through to his tail-tip, colored a darker gray than the rest of him.

"I'm not a kitten," Shoe defended, still standing rigid with claws unsheathed.

"You fought pretty well for a tame kitty," the gray tom acknowledged. "You're just a kittypet – don't worry, I won't hurt you too bad."

Shoe unbent his spine. He sensed the threat was gone, and yet he remained on tip-toe, unsure. _Kittypet?_ He thought. "What's that mean?" he asked. "Kittypet?"

The gray tom gestured to his neck with one paw and mewed, "It means you're owned by Twolegs, and you live in a garden and eat nasty pellets!"

Shoe frowned. Being a… kittypet… wasn't a bad thing! He'd lived a perfectly safe, good life up until now! Who did this cat think he was? Looking at the strong build hidden beneath his thick pelt, however, and the shape of his head, Shoe realized that this must be one of the forest cats, like the one that clawed Rusty's ear!

"I'm Graypaw," the gray tom meowed, breaking through Shoe's thoughts. He began casually licking a paw and drawing over some of his ruffled fur.

"I'm Shoe," Shoe replied. He decided that if this forest cat had wanted to hurt him, he would have by now. He dropped onto his pads and sheathed his claws, then began working on his own ruffled black pelt.

"That's a funny name," Graypaw decided.

"Yours is funny, too," Shoe countered.

Graypaw's fur fluffed. "My name is a _Clan_ name. It _means_ something! Not like some kittypet name, like _Shoe!"_

"My name means something, too!"

"Yeah, like what?"

For the first time, Shoe realized he had no idea what his name meant, or what a "Shoe" even was. He flicked an ear and then decided ruefully, "I suppose you have a point there."

"Anyway, you're lucky you're just a kittypet. If you were from one of the other Clans, I'd have given you some _real_ wounds to think about!" Graypaw meowed, his eyes flickering with courage.

"Clans?"

"You _must_ know about the four warrior Clans who make their territory here!?" Graypaw exclaimed, baffled. Shoe flicked an ear, confused. Graypaw went on, "There are four Clans – ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan. Each Clan has a piece of this forest for its territory. _I'm_ a ThunderClan cat!"

Shoe's ears began to buzz at the information. "Four Clans…?" he mumbled. "Around here?" He looked about, as if he could see their eyes on him now, gleaming from the shadows. "How can there be room for you all?"

"There's plenty of room!" Graypaw defended. "But some Clans like to take more than what they deserve – ShadowClan especially. They're _so_ fierce, they wouldn't have let a little kitty like you get away without serious damage! They want every piece of territory for themselves, the fox-hearts!"

"That sounds dangerous," Shoe remarked. "And you have to fight them?"

"For every scrap," Graypaw insisted.

Shoe looked at this young cat with concern. What a hard life he must have to look forward to! "Why don't you go and find yourself some nice housefolk? You'll only have to come by and look cute for a few days, and surely one of them will want you!"

Graypaw bristled and spat, "And eat kittypet slop and become a soft, pampered mouse-brain? Kittypets are nothing but Twoleg toys – only going outside when Twolegs allow it, never being able to leave your gardens… that's no life! Out here, it's wild, and it's free – and I don't have to depend on _any_ cat for _anything_ – especially not my food!"

Show frowned, and then decided to change the subject. "So… what's Clan life like?" he asked.

Graypaw seemed happy about the change. He went on cheerfully, "Well, there are warriors…"

"Warriors?" Shoe wondered, tipping his head to one side.

Graypaw nodded. "They hunt and fight and protect the Clans. You have to be an apprentice, though, before you can be a warrior. That's what I am – an apprentice. It'll take _moons_ before I'm a warrior. Kits have to be six moons old before they even get named apprentices!"

"Wow!"

"And there's also –" Graypaw cut off suddenly, with a _hiss_. He crouched down, bristling, his eyes darting towards the woods.

"What?" Shoe wondered, sniffing the air. He didn't scent anything strange.

"Members of my Clan are about!" Graypaw _hiss_ed. "Get out of here – if they see you on our territory, you'll be crow-food!"

Panic fluttered in Shoe's belly, and he began looking this way and that for a direction to run in. However, his paws were frozen in place, so when he tried to flee, they would not move – and before he could try again, it was too late – Graypaw's Clanmates were already in the meadow.

Both were toms – and both were impressive-looking cats. The smaller of the two had a strong, stocky build, like Graypaw, with thick golden fur and was especially thick around his neck and flecked with darker tabby stripes. Amber eyes bored into Graypaw.

Beside him was an even more massive tom with dark brown tabby fur. Shoe didn't even realize cats could _get_ that big – his shoulders and head were broad, and his massive paws no doubt concealed deadly claws. Scars laced this cat's muzzle, and one of his ears was torn into a deep vee, like Rusty's.

"Graypaw," the golden tabby meowed, "you should not have strayed so far out of our territory."

"I'm sorry, Lionheart," Graypaw meowed apologetically. He crouched down, narrowing his eyes to the ground. He glanced at Shoe and _hiss_ed, "That's Lionheart, my mentor – he's training me to be a warrior. The other cat is Tigerstar – my Clan's _leader."_

Shoe looked again at the powerful tabby tom. He sensed that these were cats who deserved respect more than anything, and he crouched down similarly to Graypaw. He felt the weight of Tigerstar's gaze on his pelt, hot and smoldering.

"Get up, you two!" Lionheart ordered. Graypaw sat up, on his haunches. Shoe copied him, knowing full well that he ought to be wary of such powerful-looking cats… and yet he felt strangely calm around them. "Graypaw, you did well to warn off this intruder, though," Lionheart went on. "He should not have been hunting here."

"Your hunting ability is remarkable, for a kittypet," Tigerstar commented, his eyes never leaving Shoe. His voice was deep and commanding, yet there was a bit of compassion and interest in it that took the edge off. "You would have caught that mouse had you not been so hesitant."

"He should not have been hunting on our territory at all, Tigerstar! He's a kittypet!" Lionheart insisted. "Send him on his way – we have to be going if we're going to meet up with the patrol at moonhigh."

"But surely there's enough to go around!" Shoe blurted. "You can't miss more than one or two mice!"

He regretted saying it immediately. Tigerstar whirled upon him, his huge shoulders hunched and his fur bristling. His amber eyes burned like flames, and he roared with all the ferocity of an ancient cat defending its family, "There is _never_ enough to go around! If you didn't live such a soft, overfed life, you would know that!"

Shoe saw the glint of claws – claws bigger than any claws he had ever seen – as they slid out of Tigerstar's paws. Lionheart raised his head challengingly, his eye burning into Shoe. Lean muscles rippled along their pelts – Graypaw had been tough and strong, but these cats would rip him to shreds!

With a terrified glance at Graypaw, he realized that he had just made the mistake that would most likely end his life.


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"_Well?" hissed Tigerstar. He was so _close to Shoe that the smaller cat could see the massive fangs he called teeth. Shoe was unable to look away from the massive tomcat's burning amber eyes.

Shivers overtook Shoe's small body, and he crouched, trembling, before the massive tom. "I am no threat to your C-Clan," Shoe stammered, doing his best to let his apologetic tone shine through the fear. He stared at his paws, trembling like a leaf in the breeze.

In his deep voice, Tigerstar growled, "You threaten my Clan when you take their food. While you hunt for pleasure and leisure, my Clan stalks these trees and the prey that lurks between them to survive! You will always have a pile of food waiting for you in your kittypet home, but we warrior cats have to work for every morsel we can get."

Shoe easily understood his anger. How dare he presume to think that he ought to hunt on the land of cats who needed it more than he did? Shoe looked up, squaring his shoulders of his fear of the great warrior tom. Tigerstar's scarred face was still just before Shoe, with amber eyes narrowed with interest. The tabby tom was waiting for Shoe's response.

"I'm sorry," Shoe replied. "I… I hadn't thought of it like that. I won't hunt here again."

Tigerstar took a step back, his amber eyes unblinking as he looked at the smaller cat. His massive hackles fell, and beside him Lionheart's neck fur flattened. Beside Shoe, Graypaw breathed a faint sigh of relief – but only when Tigerstar's massive claws sheathed did Shoe allow himself to relax.

"You are an unusual kittypet, for sure," Tigerstar rumbled, half to himself.

Shoe blinked, and saw that for a moment, Tigerstar and Lionheart exchanged glances. Something passed between them, something meaningful. It was a look that made Shoe's fur tingle.

"Is survival here really so hard?" Shoe asked.

"Our territory covers only part of the lands beyond your borders, kittypet," Tigerstar replied, flicking a torn ear at the small cat. "We compete with the other Clans for what we have, and this year newleaf has come late – prey is scarce, and every bit if necessary for survival."

Shoe flicked his ear. "Is… Is your Clan big?" he asked.

"Big enough," Tigerstar replied, his tone even. "Big enough to need every bit of territory we have, and big enough that we can't afford to lose any to the other Clans."

_Or kittypets,_ his tone implied. Shoe swallowed, still feeling guilty for attempting to steal ThunderClan prey.

"Are you all warriors, then?" Shoe asked. Tigerstar's answers were guarded, but that only made Shoe more and more curious. Talking to these wildcats for himself was _nothing_ compared to Rusty's stories! And what was this feeling he was getting? A tingling, deep inside his heart?

"Only some are warriors," Lionheart answered. "Others are too old, or too young, or caring for kits to hunt – it is a warrior's job to provide prey to feed them all."

"Wow…" Show murmured. He looked down at his paws. To live for all those other cats, to have all of them depend on you for survival… to grow and fight and hunt under the open sunlight, to sometimes come home with an empty belly…

_And look at me, _Shoe thought, _a kittypet with a warm shelter and food always in my dish, waiting for me. No wonder they're so upset…_

"You seem very curious to our ways," Tigerstar rumbled. His voice brought Shoe up and out of his thoughts. The small black tom trained his eyes on the massive tabby leader. "How would you like to join ThunderClan, Shoe?"

Shoe's jaw dropped.

Tigerstar and Lionheart exchanged a glance. Lionheart's whiskers were twitching, as if in amusement at Shoe's reaction. Shoe didn't even care that these cats were chuckling about him – Tigerstar's offer had stunned him speechless.

"If you did join us, Shoe, you would train alongside Graypaw to become a warrior," Tigerstar meowed. "You would get to experience the answers to all of your questions for yourself."

"But… But he's a _kittypet!"_ Graypaw burst. Shoe hadn't noticed that Graypaw, too, had been shocked stiff by Tigerstar's sudden offer. "It takes warrior blood to be a warrior, and kittypets don't have that!"

Tigerstar's eyes darkened, but not with anger. "Warrior blood…" he repeated, his voice thunder. "Too much of that has been spilled lately. Much too much for my liking."

He fell silent, his eyes swirling with emotion.

"Tigerstar offers you only training, kittypet," Lionheart went on, with only a sidelong glance at his leader. The thick-furred golden tom went on to say, "There is no guarantee that you will make it to warriorhood, due to your more comfortable heritage."

Shoe was stung. "Why offer it, then?" he asked. _Why dangle such a chance in front of my nose, and then say something like that?_

"You have cause to question us," Tigerstar rumbled, his eyes still dark. "But the fact remains that ThunderClan needs warriors. Too much blood has been spilled, and if it continues there won't be enough new blood to keep the Clan going."

"Tigerstar does not make this offer lightly, kittypet," warned Lionheart, his eyes dark and threatening. "You cannot live with a paw in both worlds – either you choose the life of a Clan cat, or you remain here, behind your fence with your Twolegs. There is no in-between."

Shoe glanced past the two warrior toms and into the forest. Once, it had been dark and much like a barrier – the undergrowth unfriendly and unknown. But now, now that Tigerstar had made the offer, it seemed to be unfurling itself, bearing its secrets to Shoe – offering him things he could never get any other way. Things that he wanted. Things that he _needed…_

"It is a hard decision," Tigerstar meowed, breaking into Shoe's thoughts again. "Are you thinking of what you would be losing by coming with us? Your warmth, safety, and all your comforts?"

Shoe blinked at him. His encounter with these cats had definitely been a reality check – one that stories told by his brother could not have given him.

"You are still a tom, yes?" Tigerstar asked. "I can tell by your scent that you haven't yet been taken to the Cutter to be altered."

_Cutter?_ Shoe wondered. _Altered?_

"Twolegs often take their kittypets to the Cutter," Lionheart explained. "When they are altered, kittypets are often… well, they don't get as spritely as you afterward. They're less keen to stick their noses when they don't belong."

Suddenly Shoe thought of Henry, lazing about in his yard, sleeping the day away – lazily flicking his tail at the birds that he had once chased. After his visit to the vet, Henry had been much, much less curious and more and more lazy. Had this Cutter altered him? Was that part of Shoe's fate?

"Clan life cannot offer you easy food and warmth," Tigerstar meowed. "In leaf-bare, when snow covers the ground, prey is scarce and the dens are cold. The Clan will demand great loyalty and hard work from you, even when you are at your weakest from hunger. There are many mouths to feed. But the rewards are great: You will remain a tom. You will learn the ways of the warrior, and how to survive in the wild. You will learn what it means to be a real cat. The strength, loyalty, and fellowship of the Clan will be with you, even when you hunt alone."

Shoes dreams repeated themselves in a whirl in his mind, overlaid with Tigerstar's words. Each dream was more vivid than the last, and each dream described exactly what Shoe wanted from his own life – which was exactly what Tigerstar was describing to him. As a kittypet he was a companion, but he lazed his days away staring at the world beyond his fence – as a warrior, he imagined himself running alongside these cats, muscles strong and rippling beneath a sleek pelt, eyes bright and claws extended.

Those thoughts filled a void in Shoe, one that the young tom hadn't even been aware of.

"Come, Tigerstar," Lionheart said suddenly, bringing Shoe's daydreaming to a sudden halt. The golden tom was talking to Tigerstar, halfway glancing at Shoe. "We cannot delay any longer. Bluefur is waiting for us – we said we would meet her by moonhigh!"

"Wait!" Shoe pleaded. He didn't want them to leave, but he hadn't fully decided yet. "Can… Can I think about your offer?"

Tigerstar glanced at Lionheart, and then back at Shoe. He rumbled, "Lionheart will be here tomorrow, at sunhigh. Give him your answer then."

The massive tabby raised his tail and, in a swift movement, all three cats were gone – nothing but shadows disappearing into the wilds of the woods.

Shoe took a deep, shaky breath – breathing in their scents. They were gone now, and Shoe could almost imagine them running through the forest to their meeting, their paws quick and sure on their territory. He could imagine himself walking beside them, matching Graypaw's stride.

Exhaling, Shoe shuddered from the tips of his whiskers to his tail. There was nothing more for him here – not until sunhigh tomorrow. There was no point in waiting to see if the Clan cats came back.

He stood up and headed for his home, and it seemed like the very breeze was whispering his name.


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Shoe knew he was dreaming – the_ way the air ruffled his collar-free neck told him that.

The mouse was before him again, unsuspecting. Shoe was tucked into a crouch, breathing in the sharp smells of the wilderness as the moonlight shone down on his black pelt. The grass swayed and twitched with the mouse's movements, its tiny paws scuffling in the dust.

He could feel them watching him, and he raised his head. In the undergrowth he spotted their eyes gleaming from the shadows, a hundred shades of colors he'd never seen before. Yet, with their eyes on him, he couldn't help but feel stronger and more confident.

_The strength, loyalty, and fellowship of the Clan will be with you,_ Tigerstar's words echoed, like thunder in the distance, _even when you hunt alone._

Shoe blinked, and he was awake.

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the Twoleg kitchen, warming his pelt. Shoe stood up, suddenly finding it awkward to stand on the strange hard stuff of the Twoleg nest. The forest floor felt so much better underpaw.

His food and water bowls were filled, and Shoe looked at them. He considered eating, but the smell of the mouse in his dream lingered in his nose. He would never be able to eat Twoleg food if he craved mouse – so he took a few sips of the water before heading outside.

The garden was full of life – the grass was warm and swaying in the breeze, though it was cut shorter than the grass beyond the fence. Bugs, beetles, and butterflies crawled, skittered, and fluttered about on land and in the air. Trees swayed, their beautiful leaves making puddles of shadow in the sunshine.

"There you are, Shoe!" called a voice.

Rusty appeared, walking along the neighbor's fence. He crossed onto Shoe's as the smaller tom went to meet him. Rusty's pelt glowed like fire in the sunshine, his eyes green as the grass.

"You should have been up earlier!" he chuckled. "Some delicious looking sparrows were stretching their wings!"

"Did you catch any?" Shoe asked, tipping his head.

Rusty shook his head. "Sorry," he meowed. "I didn't."

"Oh," Shoe replied. He had wondered if he'd expected something different from his brother – as free as Rusty was, he was still a kittypet; collar and all.

"So, you went into the woods last night?" Rusty wondered.

"How'd you know?" Shoe asked.

Rusty rolled his eyes. "We're all born with noses, mouse-brain!" Rusty teased.

Shoe sighed and scrabbled his way up the fence to sit beside his brother. He got a look at ThunderClan's territory – the patch of grass where he and Graypaw had wrestled furiously. The place where Tigerstar stood, explaining Shoe's own selfishness. Shoe's nose twitched – he could almost smell them himself.

"So – tell me all about it!" Rusty purred. "You catch a mouse? A bird? A wildcat? No… you look pretty intact. You couldn't have seen one of those wildcats…"

"I did, actually," Shoe replied.

Rusty's eyes flew wide.

"Did they hurt you?" Rusty demanded, concern edging his voice. He leaned forward and sniffed Shoe's pelt.

Shoe backed away, tail flicking from side to side. "Just a few scratches," he insisted. "I'm fine! We didn't get into an all-out battle, it was just me versus another kitten!" _A kitten twice my size,_ Shoe added. _But Rusty doesn't need to know that._

Rusty stepped back, flicking an ear.

"There were three," Shoe explained. "I fought with the younger one, but we stopped when the other two came. Those two cats… Rusty, you know Butch, the big tabby down the street?"

"Yeah," Rusty mewed, "that cat's as big as a dog!"

"These were _bigger,"_ Shoe expressed. "These two cats… Rusty, both of them were bigger than Butch, but one was bigger still!"

Rusty flicked his ear; but if he didn't believe his brother, he didn't say.

"One's name was Lionheart," Shoe went on, "and he was big and golden, with thick fur like a mane! And the other… the other was their leader – his name was _Tigerstar."_

"Funny names these forest cats have," Rusty commented.

"Tigerstar was _massive!"_ Shoe breathed, ignoring Rusty's comment. "You know those stories that you said our father told you? About those massive cats who ruled the world before Twolegs came along?"

Rusty was nodding.

"He was just like one of them!" Shoe said, breathless. "Big, strong, and… and _powerful…"_

"You sound smitten," Rusty purred.

Shoe flicked his tail, embarrassed.

"So, did anything else happen?" Rusty asked.

"They… they asked me to join their Clan," Shoe said, his voice quiet.

Rusty's eyes widened.

"They started out by scolding me for hunting in their territory," Shoe told him, "but then… then Tigerstar asked me to _join_ his Clan."

Rusty was silent, his green eyes unreadable.

"What do you think about that?" Shoe asked.

"It sounds like it doesn't matter what _I_ think about it," Rusty meowed. "With my personal experiences with wildcats, I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them… but you, Shoe; you're different than me. This is all your choice, not mine."

Shoe looked out into the woods.

"I think I'm going to do it," Shoe meowed. It was hard to believe the words that were coming out of his mouth, but once he said them he knew it was right. "I'm going to join ThunderClan."

Rusty sighed. "Then I'll miss you, little brother," he said resignedly. "And so will the rest of us."

Shoe looked out at the wilds again. The trees there seemed to be calling his name.

"Come on," Rusty said, drawing Shoe out of his own little world. "Let's go say good-bye to your friends. They'll miss you if you don't, and I don't want to have to explain this 'Clan' thing of yours to them all on my own!"

Shoe nodded. _One last look,_ he decided, getting up to follow Rusty. _One last look, and then I'll be off to my new home…_

_My new destiny._

* * *

The morning wore on, seemingly endless. Shoe was supercharged, every limb poised and ready as if he were about to make a huge leap over a bottomless chasm. He could tell that some of his friends wanted him to stay – Smudge tried pleading and pleading, until eventually Rusty had to tell him to stop. It was heartbreaking to leave his old friends behind – but Shoe had made his choice, and though his heart ached he had no second thoughts.

Finally, sunhigh was upon him. Shoe said his final affectionate good-bye to Rusty. His brother wished him well, and though Shoe doubted he'd see the flame-colored tabby again part of him wished he could have brought Rusty along.

_You were my safety net,_ he thought, walking down the fence. He could feel Rusty's eyes bore into him. _You saved me when other housecats teased me for my size. You were always behind me. You were always supportive of me._

… _Now it's time I stand on my own._

* * *

And stand he did – in the same spot as the night before, with the Clan-scent of Tigerstar and Lionheart and Graypaw swirling around him. Their scents were faint, but he couldn't tell whether or not they were here now, thanks to all the other conflicting scents in the area. Shoe turned himself around and around, trying to sniff out whether or not Lionheart was here.

A chuckle came from the bushes, when Shoe had his back turned. "You've a lot to learn, kittypet," Lionheart rumbled. "Even tiny Clan kits know who's who and where they are."

Shoe turned around as the golden tom pushed himself out of the bushes. Shoe gulped, embarrassed, and made sure to breathe in Lionheart's strong, foresty scent.

"Can you tell if I came alone?" rumbled Lionheart.

Shoe opened his jaws again. Lionheart's scent was fresh in his mind, and Tigerstar's and Graypaw's still lingered here… but there _was_ another, and it _wasn't_ them. He didn't know this other scent, but it was similar to Lionheart's – yet so different! How had he not noticed that all cats smelled so different?

"Tigerstar and Graypaw aren't with you," Shoe offered.

"Good," Lionheart told him. "This is Whitestorm, a senior warrior of ThunderClan."

Upon hearing his name, the splendid white tom strode into the clearing. Shoe was shocked by the pure whiteness of his pelt, the way it glowed in the sunshine. Whitestorm's pelt was unmarked and smooth, his eyes a sandy yellow.

"Welcome," Whitestorm meowed, his voice soothing and calm. "Tigerstar has said much about you."

Shoe, remembering the reverent bow that Graypaw had greeted Lionheart and Tigerstar with the night before, did his best to duck his head.

"Now now," Whitestorm chided calmly. "None of that. We're only here to take you to our camp."

Shoe took a tentative step forward. He sniffed, taking in Whitestorm's scent. The white tom stood still, his eyes gleaming with approval and… was that amusement in the twitch of his whiskers? Shoe stepped back, feeling a little more embarrassed.

"We're wasting time here," Lionheart meowed. "Let's make haste – Tigerstar expects us back."

Whitestorm nodded. "Ready, kittypet?" he asked.

Shoe nodded. He cast one last glance at his fence, and said a final, silent good-bye before slipping into the woods with Whitestorm and Lionheart.

The two warriors made no allowances for Shoe – as soon as they were out of the clearing, the two warriors took off at a great pace. Shoe was smaller than most cats his age, but he was determined to keep up and not look like a weak kittypet to these wild cats.

Shoe was soon puffing for breath, and he fell behind a pace or two. Whitestorm, however, was easy to track in the pines with his bright white coat. Shoe didn't let himself fall too far behind – he pushed himself through the Tallpines and caught up to them after a moment of rest.

Their real only obstacle was a fallen log from a tree that'd dropped in the cold months. Lionheart and Whitestorm cleared it – and the puddle beyond – with a single leap. This was the only time the two warriors stopped to wait for Shoe.

Shoe had to scrabble over the log, his muscles screaming. By the time he was at the top he was breathing heavily, dying for a rest. The water felt good when he mistimed his leap and fell into the puddle, but he shook it off and followed the two warriors.

The forest grew thicker and thicker, and Lionheart and Whitestorm slowed their pace to a walk. Shoe was grateful for the change of pace, and he did his best to hide his panting in the quiet.

He followed the two warriors as they led him along a well-worn trail through the undergrowth. Shoe could scent mice and birds and plants, along with the smell of many, many cats that grew closer and closer with every pawstep.

Finally, they stopped before a great mass of gorse and bracken. Shoe was catching his breath, but beyond the buzzing of insects and his own breathing he could hear the muffled sounds of animals within the bushes.

"We are very close to our camp," Lionheart meowed. "Can you smell it?"

Shoe breathed in the scents. "I… I smell a lot of cats…" he replied. "This place… smells a lot like you two. Forests and leaves and mice."

Whitestorm rolled his eyes, as if he had expected the young cat to know ThunderClan scent by now.

"Come," Lionheart offered. "Meet ThunderClan."

Shoe followed as Lionheart led him to a small gap in the gorse. Whitestorm was behind him as Lionheart led him into a tunnel. Thorns and prickles and sticks dragged and caught at Shoe's pelt, but by the all the smells he knew this was a highly-trafficked area of the camp – probably the most trafficked.

Finally they burst into a great, wide open clearing. Shoe's eyes widened – he hadn't imagined that something like this could exist in the forest beyond his home! Cats were gathered at the edges of the camp, grooming. The soft hum of chatter was in the air.

"Sharing tongues is something we do to share news and bond with one another," Whitestorm meowed, pushing himself through the entrance. Shoe moved to the side to give him more space. "It is best done at the hottest part of the day."

Shoe realized his scent was filling the air – the cats who were "sharing tongues" were beginning to look up, their eyes wide and curious. Shoe flattened his ears, nervous.

"Here is where the kits are cared for," Lionheart meowed, leading the way. Shoe followed, trying to ignore the whispers. The golden tom stopped before a great mess of brambles, their thorns uninviting. A white queen slipped into the nursery, brushing pelts with another, older tabby as she left. Shoe could hear the faint mewls of kits.

Shoe took this opportunity to get a better look at the camp. It was rather far smaller than his first impression had shown him – but it was big enough to house this Clan. It was edged with long, soft grasses, with a paw-trodden clearing. Older cats seemed to congregate in a fallen log, while younger cats shared tongues before dens made of brambles and bracken. A great, smooth stone lay in the middle of the clearing, lichen growing up and down. In the farthest corner, in the shadiest spot, there was a den hidden amidst a thicket of vines and ferns.

_This place is amazing!_ Shoe thought. _Oh, if Rusty could only see this – my new home!_

"Do you see all these cats, Shoe?" Whitestorm asked.

Shoe nodded.

"The care of the Clan is shared by all of them," he said. "Each one has a job to do, be it hunt, fight, care for kits, or sharing stories of the past to younger generations. Loyalty to the Clan is what binds us together – what makes us strong. It is the first law of our warrior code, and a lesson you must learn quickly if you wish to remain here with us."

Shoe nodded again, taking it all in. He another great, sweeping look over the camp, finding that cats were beginning to crawl out from the shadows, their eyes wide and curious and all looking at him. Shoe's heart pounded in his ears, and though the run here had tired him greatly, when he saw Tigerstar appear from a hole in the rock, he felt safe.

Tigerstar approached, his expression calm. He asked, "What do you think of him?"

"He did his best to keep up on the way home," Whitestorm meowed. "I thought his size would make him incapable, but he kept up well enough. There's a warrior there, somewhere."

Shoe looked up at Whitestorm, unsure of whether that was praise or a veiled insult.

Tigerstar was nodding, though, and he meowed, "Then let us show him to the Clan."

Lionheart and Whitestorm herded Shoe towards the central rock. Shoe watched in awe as Tigerstar's great muscles rippled when the massive tabby tom leaped onto the rock. Like a roar, his voice echoed through the clearing: "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

And gather they did – though it seemed like most all cats were here already. Young and old, they clustered together before Shoe in a semicircle, their eyes on the stranger. With Whitestorm and Lionheart on either side of him, Shoe felt fenced in by these powerful wildcats – trapped within their judging eyes.

Shoe felt a little more relaxed when he spotted Graypaw – the thickset gray tom was sitting beside a lovely tortoiseshell. Behind them, though, like a shadow, was a dark gray tabby who stared at Shoe with an uncomfortable amount of intensity. Though his heart was lightened by Graypaw's presence, Shoe looked away.

"ThunderClan needs more warriors," Tigerstar announced. "Never before have there been so few apprentices in training. Never before have we felt threats upon us from all sides. It has been decided that we will take in an outsider to train in our ways…"

A muttering went up from the Clan, and Shoe could not tell whether the confusion was positive or negative. His collar chafed against his fur as he felt himself shrink under ThunderClan's great scrutiny.

"I have found a cat who is willing to become an apprentice of ThunderClan," Tigerstar announced.

"_Lucky_ to become an apprentice!" sneered a voice in the crowd.

Shoe looked deeper into the crowd. A young, vain-looking silver tabby tom was glaring up indignantly at Tigerstar. Others around him were nodding in agreement.

Tigerstar ignored the outburst. "Lionheart and Whitestorm have met this cat, and the other senior warriors agree," he rumbled. "He will be trained with our other apprentices."

If there was any cat that was not looking at him already, they were now. Shoe was suddenly deafened by the outcry – cats were asking so many questions it was hard to pick out anything but the loudest ones:

"Where does he come from?"

"What Clan did he belong to?"

"What's that stink of his? It's not any smell _I_ know!"

"Look at his collar!" screeched the silver tabby from before. "He's a _kittypet!"_

Shock rippled through the Clan as all went silent around the silver tabby tom's voice. Shoe felt almost blasted away by the ferocity of his tone.

"Once a kittypet, _always_ a kittypet – the Clan needs wildborn warriors to defend it, not a soft, weak mouth to feed!"

"That tabby is Longtail," hissed Lionheart in Shoe's ear. The small black tom was trembling. "He smells your fear, Shoe – they _all_ do."

Longtail had an audience, and he wasn't about to let the hype die down. He jeered, "Your collar is a mark of cowardice and fear – if its pitiful tinkling doesn't drive away every bit of prey in the forest, your filthy stench will!"

Shoe trembled more, staring at the caterwauling Clan with wide eyes. Was it really a good idea to get involved with these cats? There were so many, and they were so massive!

"Look how tiny he is – how puny! He's nothing more than a kit!" continued Longtail, loving the attention of his audience. "He'll screech in terror with the first scratch he gets, and then he'll go running for his Twolegs! Such a tiny cat could never, _ever_ make a good warrior!"

"Are you going to let him tear away at you?" Whitestorm asked, earnest. "If you let him tear you down, Shoe, what you have done will mean nothing! You are stronger than what he says, aren't you?"

Shoe was silent.

"Aren't you?"

_Whatever you decide to do in life, Shoe… remember that the size of your body doesn't matter. It's the size of your spirit that matters… and what you're willing to do with it._

Rusty's words echoed in his ears, and suddenly Shoe's body felt supercharged with strength. He let out the loudest yowl he could muster and leaped into the crowd, his eyes fixated on Longtail.

The silver tabby had his eyes closed, soaking in the praise – he hadn't been expecting the small cat he'd been taunting to attack. When Shoe landed, instinct kicked in – he dug his claws into the silver tabby's fur, earning him a screech of shock.

Longtail was not Graypaw, though – this cat was a trained fighter, and Shoe could feel it in every blow. Cats scattered around them as the two cats, locked in a battle of teeth and claws, furiously debated throughout the clearing.

Shoe dodged an attack that would have sliced his ear open. He slipped beneath Longtail and grabbed the tabby's tail in his teeth, remembering what Rusty had taught him in their play-fights. He bit down, hard, and Longtail screeched.

Longtail whirled, nearly dragging Shoe with him. Longtail lashed out with his claws at Shoe's exposed underbelly, but Shoe used his size to quickly get away. He leaped onto Longtail again, scratching and biting – but it felt as if the silver tabby was hardly feeling his blows.

Finally, one of Shoe's flailing paws connected with Longtail's ear. Blood splattered in the air and Longtail's howl of pain echoed through the camp as Shoe rolled away. When the dust cleared, Shoe saw what he had done – a deep, bloody vee had been carved into Longtail's ear.

Shoe looked at the injury with wide eyes. Though many cats in the crowd sported something similar, he was sure that those injuries were gained in honorable battle – not infighting.

"I'm -" Shoe's apology was cut short as Longtail dove into him, driving the breath from his lungs.

Shoe could feel Longtail's anger as the tom, with a malicious hiss, pinned Shoe down onto his belly and grasped his Twoleg collar between his teeth. Shoe felt an unbearable pressure on his throat, and he let out a rasping, choking sound.

His claws dug into the earth as he reached – reached for anything, anyone that might help him. Spots danced and dazzled in his eyes as a creeping darkness began to gather at the edges of his vision.

He had one chance, and he had to take it – summoning all of his remaining strength, Shoe pressed against the collar, pushing himself away from Longtail.

It was painful – but inch by painful, pinching inch the collar began to slide. Combining Longtail's pulling with Shoe's pushing, the small black tom felt his collar suddenly loosen its tight grip on his neck. Unable to stop himself, his momentum carried him forward, and Shoe tumbled through the dust, nearly hitting the Highrock.

Silence reigned through the camp as Shoe gathered his breath.

The small tom pushed himself up, finding that Longtail stood, every fiber of his being ready for more fighting, holding Shoe's torn collar in his jaws.

"Enough!" called Tigerstar.

The massive tabby tom leaped down from the Highrock, and the fight in Longtail died. The silver tabby relinquished the collar to his leader, who took it into his own mouth. Tigerstar nodded to Shoe, and the black tom trembled as he stood.

Lionheart urged him, and Shoe limped forward to sit before Tigerstar. The massive tabby tom placed the collar before his paws and meowed, "The kittypet has lost his collar in the battle for his honor – StarClan has spoken!"

The Clan sat back in silence, their eyes stretched wide with awe.

Tigerstar padded around Shoe, his amber eyes narrowed. "You have been freed from the hold of your Twolegs," he announced. "You are free to join ThunderClan as an apprentice – if that is still what you want."

Shoe nodded. There was no hesitation now; not anymore. He had proven himself – to the Clan, and to himself. He could be a Clan warrior.

"Until he earns his warrior name, this cat will be known as Tinypaw," Tigerstar announced. "A reminder to all of us -" he said with a glance at Longtail "- that small cats can be just as dangerous as large ones."

"_Tinypaw! Tinypaw!"_ the Clan chanted – all but Longtail, who spat at the ground and walked away.

Shoe – no, Tinypaw – narrowed his blue eyes at Longtail, and then turned his back on his rival. He kicked earth onto his collar, happy to finally be rid of it once and for all.

As if that action were an invitation, the whole of the Clan came charging forward. Their greetings, praises, and words nearly knocked Tinypaw off of his paws.

"Good job!" one said.

"Longtail, what a mouse-brain!" said another. "You sure showed him!"

"Tinypaw!"

"Tinypaw!"

"Tinypaw!"

The last was Graypaw, who butted Tinypaw in the shoulder with affection. "What a good name!" he said. "Tinypaw! Suits you perfectly!"

"Tch," sneered the dark gray tabby who had sat behind Graypaw. His fur was sleek and dark, with stripes like shadows. "You got lucky, kittypet – good luck pulling that same stunt again."

"That's Darkstripe," Graypaw whispered. Tinypaw watched the dark gray tabby stalk away. "He was Longtail's mentor – he's got a stick somewhere, I'm sure!"

Tinypaw was going to agree with Graypaw, when a screech halted the excitement. All the chattering went silent, and Tigerstar leaped onto the Highrock. Warriors formed a frontal, defensive line as Graypaw shouted, "Smallear smells trouble!"

Stretching his neck, Tinypaw watched as the gorse barrier rustled. A skinny young cat, sleek and black all around except for the white tip of his skinny tail, burst through. Tinypaw could see that he was breathing heavily, and the grass was colored red beneath a favored leg.

"Ravenpaw!" hissed Graypaw.

"Ravenpaw!" called Tigerstar, his voice full of concern. "What's happened? Where's Redtail?"

"What's going on?" Tinypaw hissed, confusion filling him.

Graypaw's eyes were wide. "Ravenpaw is Tigerstar's apprentice. Redtail is Tigerstar's deputy – Ravenpaw went on a patrol to Sunningrocks with Redtail and Bluefur, but why has he come back all alone?"

Tigerstar leaped down from the Highrock, pushing through the warrior line with his strong shoulders. He padded up to his apprentice and asked, "Ravenpaw – what's happened?"

Ravenpaw's eyes darted to and fro, and his very frame trembled as if he were beneath some great weight. Finally, he yowled, his voice consumed with grief:

"Redtail is dead!"


	6. Chapter 4

**I think you'll start to see some little differences from the original story here. Chapter 6, I believe, is the first chapter that breaks away from what is show in the book. I have loads of plans to make the story different, so keep reading and on the look out! Differences can range from a simple conversation to even major events!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_Howls of despair rose from the_ shocked Clan cats. Tinypaw flattened his ears, a queasy feeling rising in his stomach. He didn't know who this Redtail cat was, but his death made Tinypaw uneasy. What had happened? Would that danger come here?

"Dead!" gasped a bracken-colored tabby near them. His eyes were wide with disbelief. "Impossible!"

Ravenpaw staggered, as if the force of the Clan's shock was enough to unbalance the skinny, shaky tomcat.

"What did this?" demanded the bracken-colored tom. "Who?"

Ravenpaw shivered with all the attention. He crouched, low to the ground, his tail quivering.

"Tell us, Ravenpaw," asked Tigerstar. The great tabby tom's eyes were humbled by grief.

Ravenpaw looked up at his leader, and his copper-red eyes darted to and fro, taking in the Clan's expressions. Then, shaking, he brought himself up into a sitting position. From where he stood, Tinypaw could see that Ravenpaw's injured leg was shaking, badly.

"W-We… we were patrolling by… by Sunningrocks," Ravenpaw meowed, his voice trembling like a leaf. "When… When we saw Swiftclaw and a patrol of… of RiverClan warriors!"

More shocked meowing. Tinypaw looked at Graypaw, confused.

"Swiftclaw is RiverClan's deputy," Graypaw replied. "Lucky Ravenpaw! What I wouldn't give to meet such a powerful cat!"

Graypaw was silenced by a hiss from Whitestorm, who looked at the young cat with disapproving yellow eyes. Graypaw murmured his apology and stayed silent.

"Redtail warned Swift… Swiftclaw to keep out of ThunderClan territory. He said that the next… the next RiverClan warrior found on our land would be killed," Ravenpaw went on. His quiet voice seemed louder than a bird's call against the shocked silence of the listening Clan. "Swiftclaw said… he said that his Clan would be fed, no… no matter the cost.

"That… That's when Redtail flung himself at Swiftclaw!" Ravenpaw exclaimed. "RiverClan warriors they… they were everywhere! They came from the river – from the trees! They attacked us and… and we were outnumbered!

"Through… Through the fighting I saw…" Ravenpaw's breathing was becoming erratic. "I saw that Swiftclaw had Redtail pinned… and… and…"

Ravenpaw's eyes slid up into his skull, and the tiny cat gave a shudder. He flopped ungracefully to the ground, his flank still.

A pretty tabby she-cat darted forward from the crowd. Her eyes were wide with anxiety as she nudged Ravenpaw's limp form.

"Spottedleaf!" she called.

A pretty tortoiseshell – the one that had been sitting beside Graypaw earlier – appeared from the fern-shaded corner of the camp. The crowd parted around her, and Tinypaw smelled her sweet scent as he moved to get out of her way.

The tabby queen moved out of the way as Spottedleaf crouched beside Ravenpaw. Using her small pink nose, the tortoiseshell turned Ravenpaw over and, using bright amber eyes, examined his wound.

"Will he be alright?" fretted the tabby.

"Yes, Brindleface," soothed Spottedleaf. She gave Ravenpaw's wound a lick. "His wounds aren't fatal – he's simply fainted from the shock. Let's move him out of the way."

Together, Spottedleaf and Brindleface moved Ravenpaw's limp form away from the camp entrance. The Clan scooted out of their way as Spottedleaf and Brindleface laid him out near the fern-shaded corner where Spottedleaf had come from.

"I'll just fetch some herbs for him – I'll be right back," Spottedleaf announced. The tortoiseshell turned away from her patient and slipped between the ferns.

"Will he be OK?" Tinypaw wondered.

"If Spottedleaf can't fix him up, no cat can," Graypaw assured him. "She's the best medicine cat ThunderClan has ever had!"

_Medicine cat?_ Tinypaw was about to ask what that was when the gorse rustled again. The Clan stiffened up once more as another cat appeared – but this time, they came in tail-first. Soon enough, the whole Clan realized why.

It was a blue-gray furred she-cat, their pelt marked with scars and fresh scratches. Her blue eyes burned as she dragged in another cat – a tom with a red-patched brown pelt. His tail, though, was an unmistakable red – red as fox fur.

The blue-gray she-cat dragged the red-tailed tom into the clearing – the Clan moved around them until Tigerstar was backed up against the Highrock. No cat said much of anything – but the sadness in their eyes was unmistakable – this was the body of Redtail, the Clan's deputy.

"Bluefur!" gasped the bracken-colored tom from earlier. "You're all right!"

"Thank StarClan!" gasped an old tortoiseshell she-cat.

_StarClan?_ Tinypaw thought.

"Bluefur," Tigerstar meowed, his amber eyes fixated upon the blue-gray warrior queen. "What has happened here? Ravenpaw says that… that Swiftclaw killed Redtail. Is this true?"

Bluefur blinked solemnly at Tigerstar.

"It is," she meowed.

The Clan was silent, but Tinypaw could almost feel their sadness rushing over him like a wave of water.

"He fought with honor until the end, struck down by Swiftclaw," Bluefur meowed, looking out over the Clan. Her silver-tinged muzzle and jaws were stained with blood. "Swiftclaw did not have long to relish his victory, however – while he was gloating, I took his life. We will not see RiverClan hunters in our territory for some time."

"Then his death was not in vain," Tigerstar decided.

As if this were a signal, Bluefur stepped away. Several cats stepped forward to push their noses into Redtail's ragged and bloodied fur.

"What are they doing?" Tinypaw asked.

"They're mourning him," Graypaw meowed. "Giving him good wishes and sharing tongues with him one last time as his spirit makes its way to StarClan."

There is was again. StarClan. Tinypaw could faintly hear the name being spoken to Redtail's body by his mourners. He asked, "What is StarClan?"

Graypaw didn't seem shocked that Tinypaw didn't know. Eyes still dark with sadness, Graypaw told him, "They are a Clan of heavenly warriors who live in the stars; it's where a warrior's spirit goes when they die. You see them every night in Silverpelt."

Tinypaw tilted his head. He hated having to ask these things – especially when such a tragedy had just occurred. Graypaw had no trouble answering that though. Graypaw explained, "Silverpelt is a thick band of stars that crosses the sky at night. StarClan lives there, watching over us – each star is one of them. Redtail will be with them tonight, looking down on us. Excuse me."

Graypaw stepped away from Tinypaw to press his nose into Redtail's fur, sharing tongues with his dead deputy one last time.

Only when it seemed like every cat had had their moment with Redtail did Tigerstar step forward. The Clan moved away from him as he approached. The great tabby tom bent his head to look down at his old friend, his amber eyes dark with sadness. Tigerstar shared tongues with his deputy one last time, and the Clan watched in silence.

When he was done, Tigerstar raised his head to speak.

"You were an amazing warrior, Redtail," Tigerstar meowed. "A dutiful deputy – not strong or fast, but clever and smart, and always good counsel. You will be sorely missed. You would have made a fine leader, never swayed by self-interest of pride."

He laid himself down on his stomach, his great forepaws stretched out before him. He bent his head, ears flattened. Slowly but surely, warriors of the Clan joined him. Graypaw was not among them – he padded back to Tinypaw, his head turned to the crowd of mourners.

"Dustpaw and Sandpaw will be sad," he remarked, flicking his tail. The two youngest members of the crowd – no older than Graypaw or Tinypaw themselves – were huddled together. The dark tabby tom and the pale ginger she-cat had their eyes tightly shut as they mourned him together.

"Why?" Tinypaw asked.

"Dustpaw was Redtail's apprentice," Graypaw explained. "They were close – but Dustpaw needs a new mentor now."

"And Sandpaw?"

"Sandpaw was Redtail's daughter," Graypaw told him. "They weren't particularly close, but that doesn't change the fact that they were family."

Tinypaw looked over at the mourning cats, his heart aching for them. Death was obviously something these cats were used to living with out here in the wild. Tinypaw wondered if they were used to seeing their Clanmates leave them.

"How long will they sit with him?" Tinypaw asked.

"It depends," Graypaw meowed. "Tigerstar will probably sit the whole night – he was his deputy, after all. Others will come and go. Redtail was very loved, but not every cat knew him as well as others. He was deputy for many, many moons – not as quick as Oakheart or strong as Bluefur or Lionheart, but clever and smart."

Tinypaw looked over at Bluefur. She was sitting beside that same bracken-colored tom, her head bent in mourning. Her body easily showed the signs of her warrior life – a long scar parted the fur of her shoulder, and her body was covered in pale scratches. Her nose was sliced by an enemy's claw.

"Come on," Graypaw offered, nudging Tinypaw. "Let's leave them be and go check on Ravenpaw."

Tinypaw nodded in agreement. He followed Graypaw over to the fern-shaded corner of the camp. There, Spottedleaf was tending to Ravenpaw, pressing a lump of white, sticky cobwebs over his shoulder wound. Her eyes were focused with concentration, her ears angled back.

"What's she doing?" Tinypaw asked.

"Stopping the bleeding," Graypaw told him. "Ravenpaw took a nasty wound, so Spottedleaf's using the cobwebs to help keep him from bleeding out."

Ravenpaw twitched beneath Spottedleaf's paws as she pressed a little harder on the cobwebs. When the whiteness of the cobwebs was swallowed by the redness of Ravenpaw's blood, she quickly and deftly replaced the cobweb wad, her paws small and practiced.

"Is he going to be OK?" Tinypaw dared to ask.

Spottedleaf didn't look up from her patient when she replied. "As long as he gets some rest," she mewed. "He'll be fine."

"Will he be able to train with us tomorrow?" Graypaw asked.

"No," Spottedleaf replied. Graypaw looked downhearted, but Spottedleaf went on, "We don't need him making his injury worse by jumping around to please a mentor. He's seen enough fighting and blood for a few days, I think."

Tinypaw threw Graypaw a sympathetic glance.

"Now shoo, the both of you," Spottedleaf meowed. "It's bad enough that I can't risk moving Ravenpaw right now – there are better things you can be doing than disturbing a medicine cat while she's working!"

Tinypaw felt put-off, but he saw the good-natured glimmer in the she-cat's eye. She was not meaning to be mean.

"Come on," Graypaw meowed. "Let's show you around the camp."

Graypaw led Tinypaw as close to the center of the camp as he could get without disturbing the mourners. He pointed with his tail to the Highrock and meowed, "You already know that – it's the Highrock, where Tigerstar makes his announcements. Below, in a cavern hollowed out by an old stream, is his den.

"Warriors sleep over here," Graypaw announced.

Tinypaw followed him past the Highrock to a large bush with great overhanging leaves. Just below them was a den, with the smells of several warriors. Tinypaw recognized Lionheart and Whitestorm, and even the faded scent of Redtail.

"They have the perfect view of the camp entrance from here," Graypaw told him. "Senior warriors sleep near the center, where it's warmest. They usually share their fresh-kill by a clump of nettles not too far off – sometimes younger warriors are asked to join them, and that's a big honor!"

"And the others?" Tinypaw asked. There were so many nuances of Clan life – Tinypaw was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the possibility that he might just get something important wrong.

"The queens share the warriors den when they're warriors, but when they're expecting kits or nursing them they live in the nursery – and you've seen that. The medicine cat's den - where Spottedleaf lives – is in that corner of the camp with all the ferns. There's a little cave in there, a crack in the rock where she sleeps and keeps her herbs. The elders have their own special place too, just across the way – come on, let's go meet them!"

Tinypaw had no choice but to follow as Graypaw led the way across the camp again. Beside Spottedleaf's den there was the remnants of a long-fallen tree, bolstered with vines and bushes. Inside the hollowed log, nestled in the soft greenery that lined it, were four elderly cats. A large, plump rabbit lay in the middle of them, with two mice to accompany it.

"When warriors or queens get old," Graypaw meowed, "or they can't do their duties properly anymore, they join the elders. Becoming an elder is an honorable thing, and it's part of an apprentice's duty to feed and care for the elders, to give them thanks for their service to the Clan. Sandpaw and Dustpaw will have taken care of them today, but starting tomorrow it'll be our duty to do it, too."

"Welcome, youngsters," greeted one of the elders. He was plump, with tiny ears atop a round head.

"Greetings, Smallear," Graypaw meowed. He dipped his head respectfully, and Tinypaw did the same.

"This must be our newest apprentice," rasped a patchy-furred tom. His dark brown pelt stuck up in spikes, and there was a stump where his tail ought to have been. "Hello, youngster – I'm Halftail."

"Tinypaw," Tinypaw introduced.

The elders rumbled in recognition of his name.

"Welcome to the Clan, Tinypaw," Halftail mewed. "An apt name, that."

Tinypaw felt himself shrink in embarrassment.

"Size isn't everything, Halftail," scoffed an elderly tortoiseshell. "Leave the poor mite be."

Smallear chuckled as Halftail flattened his ears. The plump elder turned to the apprentices and asked, "Have you two eaten yet today?"

Graypaw shook his head. Tinypaw felt his stomach shake and rumble with hunger, suddenly brought to life by Smallear's offer. Today had been so eventful that his few mouthfuls of Twoleg food seemed like it was forever and a day ago. The smells of the rabbit and mice between the elder's paws was beginning to make Tinypaw's mouth water, and he shook his head in agreement.

"Do your mind if they take a share, One-eye?" Smallear asked.

A pale gray queen, stretched out beyond them all, raised her head to shake it. Her It was plain and obvious that one of her eyes was pale and blind.

"Dappletail?" Smallear wondered.

The tortoiseshell who had spoken up in Tinypaw's defense shook her head as well.

"Go on then," Smallear meowed. "Sandpaw and Dustpaw are turning into fine hunters! You've a lot to compete with."

Graypaw looked excitedly at Tinypaw. "You still haven't tasted mouse?" he asked.

Tinypaw shook his head.

Graypaw pushed one of the mice into Tinypaw's paws. "Here you are," he said. "Just save me some!"

Tinypaw flicked his tail in thanks, bending his head. He took as large of a bite as he dared, letting the flavors cloud in his mouth. Fresh, meaty, delicious, and wonderful – the flavors of the mouse sang in Tinypaw's head. It felt like he had taken a bite of the forest, and he savored the feeling.

"Delicious?" Graypaw asked.

Tinypaw swallowed and said with earnest, "Yes!"

The two purred and polished off the rest of the mouse together. As they shared, the elders began to speak – the two apprentices quieted their chewing to listen.

"How long now before Tigerstar appoints the new deputy?" Smallear asked.

"Hm?" grunted One-eye.

"I said," Smallear sighed, "how long until Tigerstar appoints the new deputy? Your hearing is as poor as your eyesight, One-eye!"

One-eye curled her nose at him and scoffed. It was Dappletail who said with sadness in her voice, "I can still remember the day that Tigerstar himself was appointed deputy."

"Ah yes," One-eye rasped, able to hear her tortoiseshell companion better. "It was just after his mentor died. Poor Thistleclaw – what a good deputy he had been, and what a great deputy Tigerstar was in his place!"

"Redtail was good too," Halftail reflected. "Tigerstar won't be happy replacing him. Redtail was friends with so many cats, and he and Tigerstar got on famously."

"He has to make up his mind soon," Smallear reminded them. "It's tradition to appoint the new deputy before moonhigh. Grief cannot cloud one's judgment and loyalty to the warrior code."

"At least the choice is obvious," Halftail meowed, nodding his head in agreement. "It won't be a hard decision."

Tinypaw lifted his head, licking his whiskers of the mouse's remains. Did Halftail mean Bluefur? The she-cat did avenge Redtail's death, after all – so it was possible. To Tinypaw, that sounded like the obvious choice.

The small cat looked out at the Clan. Bluefur was sitting just a pace or two away from the remainder of the mourners – most had broken away to share tongues with their Clanmates. Bluefur was looking at Redtail's body, but her ears were angled towards the elder's den. Was she listening? Could she hear?

Just then, Tigerstar lifted himself up. The whole of the Clan looked at him as he leaped back onto the Highrock. Graypaw and Tinypaw wiggled themselves out of the elder's den to join the rest of the Clan as they gathered in the darkening clearing. The moon was rising, turning the forest to silver, and the first stars were beginning to appear in the sky.

"A new deputy must be appointed," Tigerstar rumbled. "But first, let us give thanks for the life of Redtail. His service and loyalty to his Clan will never be forgotten, and tonight he walks in starlight with our ancestors."

There was a moment of silence, each head – even Tinypaw's – bowed in respect.

"Now I shall name ThunderClan's new deputy," Tigerstar meowed. "I say these words before the body of Redtail, so that his spirit may hear and approve of my choice."

_Will it be Bluefur? _Tinypaw thought. _Whitestorm? _

"Lionheart will be the new deputy of ThunderClan," Tigerstar announced.

Tinypaw looked to find Bluefur, wondering what her reaction was – but her face was filled with joy as she gave Lionheart a hearty nudge of congratulations.

"Why not make Bluefur deputy?" Tinypaw wondered. "She avenged Redtail's death."

"Lionheart's been a warrior longer," Graypaw replied, his eyes shining with pride for his mentor. "He has a lot more experience than most other warriors."

"Redtail was also mentor to young Dustpaw," Tigerstar went on, his booming voice demanding silence. "Since the training of our apprentices cannot be delayed, Dustpaw will now be mentored by Darkstripe. Darkstripe, you were a good mentor to Longtail – pass on all you know to Dustpaw."

Tinypaw couldn't help but curl his lip as he spotted Darkstripe touching noses with the small brown tabby tom from earlier. Dustpaw's eyes were filled with grief, but beside him Sandpaw looked as if her entire world had crumbled. Tinypaw wished there was something he could say – he couldn't bear to see any cat look so broken and upset.

"Dustpaw is not the only cat in need of a mentor," Tigerstar meowed. "Today we were joined by Tinypaw, a former kittypet from the Twolegplace near our borders. He has fought for his place in the Clan, and we cannot afford to delay his training."

Tinypaw looked up at Tigerstar, curious. He was getting a mentor, too? Unease spread through him – what warrior would want to mentor a former kittypet?

"We have discussed it at length," Tigerstar meowed, "and I have decided that Bluefur will be mentor to Tinypaw. Show him the ways of our Clan, and make him into a warrior StarClan will be proud of."

"I will," Bluefur promised.

_Bluefur!_ Tinypaw thought. _How is it that I get such a hero as my mentor?_

"Wow!" Graypaw gasped. "Here I thought you were just going to share mentors with me!"

Bluefur approached Tinypaw, and the young apprentice couldn't help but feel intimidated by her presence. She wasn't as big as Lionheart, or as sleek as Whitestorm, but all he had heard of this cat indicated that she was strong. When they touched noses, like Tinypaw had seen Dustpaw and Darkstripe do, her intense blue gaze met his.

"I look forward to seeing your potential, kittypet," Bluefur murmured. "Tigerstar and I have talked a lot about you."

"I'll do my best!" Tinypaw piped. He'd tried not to sound like a kit, but in her presence he couldn't help it.

"We shall see," Bluefur decided. She stood up and meowed, "Training starts tomorrow at dawn – you would be wise not to be late – either of you."

She turned away and padded towards Redtail's body. Tigerstar raised his head and meowed, "Tonight I shall keep a silent vigil with Redtail's body, before we bury him at sunrise."

The great tabby tom leaped off of the Highrock once again, moving into his previous position of mourning. Several others joined her, including Sandpaw – but when the small apprentice went to mourn her father the bracken-colored tabby nudged her away. She threw him a cross look, but when Bluefur meowed something that looked like she was backing up the bracken-furred tom, Sandpaw dipped her head and padded off. Bluefur touched noses with the tom before padding off towards the warrior's den, leaving the other warrior to mourn Redtail.

"Who was that?" Tinypaw asked. "That bracken-colored tom?"

"That's Oakheart," Graypaw meowed. The gray tom let out a yawn. "He and Redtail were good friends, and he's Bluefur's mate."

"Her mate?" Tinypaw echoed. Somehow he thought that the powerful queen didn't need a mate.

Graypaw nodded.

"Should we sit with them?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw shook his head. "Only those who knew him well in life will sit with him on his final night. You heard Bluefur – we have training in the morning, and it's been a long day. Let's get some sleep – the apprentice's den is just over there."

Tinypaw couldn't help but agree with Graypaw as he followed the stocky tom across the camp. Beside the warrior's den, behind a mossy tree stump, was a thick bush of ferns. A small den was scraped out between the fronds, lined with moss and sheltered by a smaller version of the bush that was the warrior's den.

"We share our fresh-kill by this tree stump," Graypaw meowed.

"How many of us are there?" Tinypaw asked. "Apprentices, I mean."

"Not as many as usual," Graypaw replied. "You, me, Dustpaw, Sandpaw, and Ravenpaw – that's it."

"You must be the new apprentice," complained a voice. Sandpaw peeked out from the ferns – her eyes explored Tinypaw. "You're so small! And you smell like a _kittypet!"_

"I _was_ a kittypet," Tinypaw reminded her.

"Well, don't go sleeping near me!" Sandpaw scoffed. "I don't want to stink like you – I'll scare off all the prey in the forest!"

Tinypaw flattened his ears. He was about to send her a stinging rebuke when Whitestorm appeared, his eyes narrowed at the apprentice.

"Sandpaw!" he meowed. "As my apprentice, I want you to apologize."

Sandpaw flattened her ears. "I just wasn't expecting to be training with a _kittypet_ – that's all!" she complained.

Whitestorm's eyes softened. "None of us expected that – or what happened today," he said soothing. "Get some sleep, Sandpaw – our worlds must go on."

Sandpaw opened her mouth, but then shut it. Whitestorm turned his back on the apprentices and headed away, probably towards Redtail's body. Sandpaw gave a huff before curling herself into a tight ball, her pale-striped back to Tinypaw and Graypaw.

"Where do I sleep?" Tinypaw asked.

"Not next to her!" Graypaw insisted. "Come on – I'll make you a nest by mine."

Tinypaw followed Graypaw into the den, careful not to disturb Sandpaw. Together they found a nice patch of unused moss. Tinypaw nudged it near Graypaw's nest and by the time the stocky gray tom was nestled into his nest, tail curled over his nose, Tinypaw's nest was made.

He settled down into the softness, finding that it was far more comfortable than it looked. He rested his head on his paws, relishing the earthy smells of the Clan. Despite what had happened today, Tinypaw did not regret his decision.

This was his home, and he was determined to prove himself worthy of it.


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"_Tinypaw – get up!" Graypaw's voice tore_ through Tinypaw's dream. The fat gray squirrel he had been tracking had escaped up a tree, safe for another night as Tinypaw's eyes opened. "Training begins at dawn, remember? You don't want to be late – Dustpaw and Sandpaw are already up and gone!"

Tinypaw pushed himself up, irritation swept away by excitement. Here was his first day as a ThunderClan apprentice, and he was nearly late for training! That would be a bad first impression to make on his noble mentor.

"Lionheart said that Ravenpaw won't be able to join us for a few days," Graypaw said, washing his chest. Tinypaw crept out of the den and gave his ears a quick washing as his friend continued. "So it's just you and me today with Lionheart and Bluefur."

"What are Dustpaw and Sandpaw doing?" Tinypaw asked.

"Hunting," Graypaw said.

Tinypaw grunted. He was shocked that Sandpaw would be doing duties today, especially since her father was killed just yesterday. Tinypaw took a quick glance around the camp, finding that Redtail's body had already been buried. His scent lingered in the clearing, growing stale.

"We should hurry, though," Graypaw meowed. "We can't keep them waiting!"

Tinypaw nodded and followed as Graypaw led the way. The gorse tunnel pricked at Tinypaw's sides, but when they pushed through that they were in the forest. Tinypaw had no time to take in the view of his home – his territory – as they trotted through the undergrowth.

Graypaw and Tinypaw made their way down a well-worn path. Finally, it opened up in a clearing. Sunshine made te sandy floor of the clearing warm on Tinypaw's paws, and the softness made it easy to move on. Bluefur and Lionheart were already there – both sat in the center of the clearing like sentinels, the sunlight making their pelts glow.

"You were nearly late," Bluefur commented, her eyes narrowed at Tinypaw. "Next time, I expect you to be more punctual."

"Calm down Bluefur," Lionheart meowed. "It was a rough day yesterday, for all of us. You cannot condemn either of them for wanting a little more rest."

Bluefur said nothing. A cool breeze tugged at the cats' fur, slicing through the warmth of the day.

"Today we will be exploring our boundaries," Lionheart meowed. "Since Tinypaw is new to our Clan, Blufur and I have decided that a tour of the borders is necessary."

Graypaw gave a bored look.

"It wouldn't hurt for you to be reminded of our borders," Bluefur said evenly. "After all, it was your crossing them that led you to meet Tinypaw."

Bluefur didn't allow for another word, and neither did Lionheart – the two of them took off, tails high, into the woods. Graypaw followed, and Tinypaw did his best to keep up with their brisk pace.

It was tough on his small legs as they led him through the unfamiliar woods. Tinypaw was busy trying to memorize every tree, bush, and leaf – but his Clanmates were going too fast. Tinypaw did his best to lengthen his stride, but even then he could only keep pace with Graypaw.

Relief came when Bluefur and Lionheart stopped. A small path was cut through the trees, hardly noticeable but for the strange scent and markings in the dirt.

"This is a Twoleg path," Bluefur meowed. "They often come here, walking their dogs. Tinypaw – can you tell me if it's safe to cross?"

Tinypaw's heart thudded, but when he opened his mouth he realized that the Twoleg-scent seemed stale. The dog-scent was staler, telling him that a Twoleg had walked here, but not with a dog.

"It's safe," he assured them. "The Twoleg hasn't been here since this morning."

Lionheart opened his jaws, scented for himself, and then closed them. He nodded, and Tinypaw puffed his chest out with a little bit of pride.

Bluefur and Lionheart took off again, but this time Tinypaw was more prepared for the pace they set. It was easy to spot them through the trees now – the oaks and elms turned into pines, straight and narrow, growing in neat rows. Ruts pockmarked the ground here and there, filled with stinking fluid from Twoleg monsters.

"Twolegs put these trees here," Bluefur told him. Her gait was wary, every muscle tense for a Twoleg to spring out from behind a tree. "They cut them down with their monsters in greenleaf."

"What a racket it makes!" Lionheart huffed.

Tinypaw had to nod in agreement – he'd heard that monster's boisterous roar before, even in the Twolegplace. Now that he knew just what it meant, he kept a note to watch out for it in greenleaf.

"They take the fallen trees to the Treecut place, not far from here," Bluefur continued. "Our route will not take us there, though."

They continued on through the pines. Slightly familiar scents hit Tinypaw's nose, and he slowed his gait to try and sniff out just what they were. Graypaw slowed with him.

"Twolegplace lies beyond those pines," he said, giving Tinypaw a nudge. "C'mon – if they see you lingering, they might think you want to go back!"

Tinypaw nodded in agreement and picked up the pace, catching up with Lionheart and Bluefur. Neither of them seemed to notice that the apprentices had slowed.

They crossed another Twoleg path that marked the edge of the pine forest. Where the pines ended, oak woods began again – the wariness of Bluefur, Lionheart, and Graypaw seemed to leave them as they trotted confidently through the undergrowth.

"We're heading for RiverClan territory," Graypaw offered. He pointed with his muzzle to mounds of gray stone that rose in the distance, beyond the undergrowth. No trees grew there. "There's Sunningrocks."

"Hush!" hissed Bluefur. "We're too close to enemy territory for you to be blabbing!"

They pushed through the undergrowth and out into the rocky clearing. Dips and ridges and large, flat stones littered the area, with the river flowing beyond. A pungent scent hit Tinypaw's nostrils, making his eyes water – but really he could only think of this place being the place where Redtail lost his life so tragically.

Lionheart sprayed a marker onto a stone, and then meowed, "That is the scent of RiverClan, Tinypaw – learn it. It will be strongest here, where they mark their boundary."

Tinypaw breathed the scent in, surprised at how alien it was to him compared to ThunderClan, whose smells were already feeling like home.

"We can follow this boundary all the way to Fourtrees," Bluefur meowed. She looked out upon the rocks with an unreadable expression. "That way Tinypaw can get a breath of all the other Clan scents."

"Fourtrees?" Tinypaw asked.

"It's where all the territories of the four Clans meet," Graypaw replied, his eyes sparkling. "There are four oaks there, as old as -"

"Graypaw!" Bluefur hissed. "What did I say? We're too close to enemy borders for you to be talking so freely!"

Graypaw closed his mouth, but not before mumbling an apology.

They continued onward, following the border. They crossed a small stream with ease, and by the time they reached Fourtrees Tinypaw was puffing with exhaustion, his small legs burning.

Relief came when Bluefur and Lionheart led them to the top of a grassy slope. Below them the forest opened up into a grassy clearing. In the middle four great oak trees grew together, their huge branches swaying in the light breeze. Below the clearing was a large, smooth rock, and several scents washed over Tinypaw.

"As Graypaw was saying," Lionheart meowed, "this is Fourtrees, the place where all four territories meet."

"Ahead of us is the high ground of WindClan," Bluefur meowed. "You won't be able to catch their scent, because the wind is blowing towards them. You'll learn it soon enough."

"ShadowClan is over there," Graypaw meowed, pointing with his tail, "in the darkest part of the forest. "The elders say that cold winds blow over the ShadowClan cats, chilling their hearts."

"So many Clans!" Tinypaw breathed. _And so organized, if they're all like ThunderClan!_

"So you see why prey is precious," Lionheart meowed. "Why we must fight for everything we have."

"But why can't you work together and share your hunting grounds?" Tinypaw asked. "Why do you all have to fight one another for survival, when you're all working for the same thing?"

There was silence, and Tinypaw realized that he had said the wrong thing.

"That is dangerous thinking, kittypet," Bluefur growled, her blue eyes narrowed. "The ways of the Clans are new to you, and speaking from the heart in such a way will leave you open and vulnerable at the worst of times!"

"Be calm, Bluefur," Lionheart soothed. "Having an open heart can be a weakness, but it can also be a strength. It must be tempered, and used wisely."

Bluefur snorted.

"We do come together peacefully," Lionheart told Tinypaw. Gesturing with his tail toward the clearing, he meowed, "Here, in fact – every full moon. These Gatherings are held in peace, and all Clans are capable of sharing news with one another without fear of attack."

"Then a meeting must be soon?" Tinypaw meowed. "The moon was bright and full yesterday!"

"There is," Lionheart confirmed. "Tonight, in fact. You must understand, Tinypaw – while coming together in peace for one night is a good thing, logner alliances bring more trouble than they're worth."

"Loyalty to your Clan makes it strong," Bluefur meowed. "You must remember that if you are to live with us."

"I understand," Tinypaw meowed, dipping his head in apology to his mentor. He hadn't meant to anger her.

"Let's keep moving," Lionheart said. "We've got more ground to cover."

They followed the ridge deeper into the woods, leaping a stream in one bound. All the while Tinypaw began picking up a scent he hadn't smelled before, and it was getting stronger the further along they walked.

"What is that smell?" he asked.

"ShadowClan," Graypaw replied, his voice low and dark.

"Keep your wits about you," Bluefur mewed cautiously. "These scents are fresh – a patrol is in the area."

A new noise, low and rumbling, interrupted Tinypaw's reply. It shook the ground beneath Tinypaw's paws, and he looked up at the others with worry in his eyes.

"What is that?" he asked.

"You'll see," Lionheart rumbled.

The trees grew thinner as they got closer to the source of the rumbling. Tinypaw could feel it shaking his bones now. A roaring sound penetrated the woods, tearing into Tinypaw's sensitive ears and ruffling their fur. He realized that they were at the edge of the forest now, and he could see out beyond.

A great gray path lay before them, several lengths away. The grass here was oily and nasty underpaw, and the smells here were nothing short of awful. Tinypaw wrinkled his nose against them.

"This is the Thunderpath," Bluefur meowed.

As if her words had summoned it, a great beast on round black paws roared past, almost blasting Tinypaw off of his paws with the winds it kicked up. Tinypaw dug his claws into the earth as the monster roared away into the distance. Blood roiled in Tinypaw's ears, and his heart was caught in his throat as silence reigned over the area.

_I've never seen them so fast before!_ Tinypaw thought. The monsters he was used to crawled along the stone paths, slow and easy to avoid. _Those could kill a cat!_

"Scared me too the first time," Graypaw offered as assurance. Tinypaw straightened himself up, realizing that his reaction might have been a little over-the-top. "But these monsters keep ShadowClan from crossing into our territory easily, and they never seem to leave the Thunderpath. You'll be fine so long as you don't get too near it."

"I think that's enough for today," Bluefur decided, her ears flattened against the noise that still rung in Tinypaw's ears. "We've seen enough, and these apprentices are tired. They way around Snakerocks is longer, but we'll avoid it – young cats make easy prey for the adders there. I expect you're feeling tired, Tinypaw – this is a lot to take in."

Tinypaw didn't bother to hide it – he nodded in agreement.

"We'll see more another time," Bluefur promised. "Let's get going."

Lionheart led the way back through the trees, and Tinypaw followed as they padded through the forest and back to camp. The sound of the Thunderpath faded behind them, and Tinypaw could not have been more grateful for that.

* * *

The smells of evening and fresh-kill hit Tinypaw's nose as he pushed his way into camp. Crickets sang their songs in the evening air, betraying the still-warm temperature of the dusk hours. Tinypaw's hungry eyes rested on the fresh-kill pile, which was stocked and full. Wordlessly, Tinypaw and Graypaw took their share and headed for the stump by the apprentice's den.

Sandpaw and Dustpaw were there, munching hungrily on their own shares. Their pelts smelled of the forest, of the trees and leaves and sticks. Bones crunched between Sandpaw's teeth, and her eyes were far away.

"Hey kittypet," scoffed Dustpaw, his eyes narrowed. "Enjoy the fresh-kill _we_ caught for you – who knows? You might learn to catch your own someday!"

"You two still on hunting duty?" Graypaw was trying to be mocking, but it didn't quite work. Tinypaw flicked an ear in sympathy. Graypaw didn't seem bothered, and he went on, "We were patrolling the territory – you'll be happy to know that everything is all right!"

"I'm sure the other Clans were _terrified_ when they smelled you coming," Dustpaw growled. Tinypaw felt the jibe, and decided to ignore it. There was no good to come from riling up a bully like Dustpaw.

Graypaw was not so intuitive. "They didn't dare show their faces," he growled back, neck fur rising.

_Don't encourage him, Graypaw,_ Tinypaw thought, willing the thought to pass to Graypaw.

"We'll ask them tonight, then, when we're at the Gathering," Sandpaw interjected. Her tone was not friendly, but Tinypaw guessed she was trying to keep Graypaw from attacking Dustpaw.

"You're going?" Tinypaw asked.

Sandpaw's reply was drowned out by Dustpaw. "Of course!" he said loftily. "It's such a great honor to be chosen – don't worry; we'll be sure to tell you _everything_ in the morning."

Tinypaw sighed, now sure that any conversation with Dustpaw would only lead to more gloating from the dark tabby tom. Together, he and Graypaw crunched their fresh-kill between their teeth. Evening set in quickly, and Tinypaw was full long before he had finished his share of mouse. He sat back, listening to the sounds of the evening as he groomed his dusty pelt.

Tigerstar's call – more like a roar – sounded from the Highrock. Several Clan warriors emerged from their dens to gather in the clearing. Tinypaw assumed that they were the Gathering party.

"Good bye," Sandpaw offered. "Have a nice, quiet evening!"

"We sure will," Graypaw commented as Sandpaw and Dustpaw got to their paws. Tinypaw watched enviously as the two apprentices joined the Gathering party.

With Tigerstar at its head and Lionheart by his side, the Gathering party left the camp with confidence in their steps. Tinypaw watched each cat go, ignoring the mocking look Dustpaw threw his way. Sandpaw trailed after them all, her eyes still far-away, with Whitestorm striding just beside her.

_She still takes Redtail's death pretty hard,_ Tinypaw thought, feeling sympathy for the she-cat.

"Have you been to a Gathering?" Tinypaw asked, hoping to distract Graypaw from Dustpaw's mocking.

Graypaw shook his head. "Not yet," he meowed. The soft-furred apprentice slid over to Tinypaw and began grooming the base of Tinypaw's neck. "But all apprentices get to go sometime."

They shared tongues until moonlight bathed the clearing. Then, they slipped into the apprentice's den to sleep off their long, weary day. Despite the ache in his paws, Tinypaw was looking forward to tomorrow's training.

* * *

Graypaw and Tinypaw woke before dawn, creeping out of their nests long before Dustpaw and Sandpaw woke. Though Tinypaw had been eager to hear about the Gathering last night, Graypaw insisted that they would hear of it whether they liked it or not. "Dustpaw won't be able to shut his mouth about it, I'm sure!" Graypaw had insisted.

This time, Ravenpaw was there to join them in the sandy hollow. Tinypaw was grateful that Spottedleaf had cleared him for training – he was eager to meet and get to know the skinny black tom.

As they approached, though, it was clear that Ravenpaw was tense and unhappy. His skinny, white-tipped tail twitched back and forth and his dark eyes seemed to flutter about the hollow, not settling on any single point.

"Hey Ravenpaw," Graypaw offered, settling next to the other apprentice. "Don't look so miserable! You're not usually this unhappy about training!"

"Yeah, usually," Ravenpaw managed. "B-But this time…"

The scents of Bluefur and Lionheart flooded the hollow, heralding their arrival. Ravenpaw shut his mouth, looking down at his paws, as the warriors strode into the hollow, looking awake and alert despite both going to the Gathering the night before.

"I-I'm just worried about hurting my shoulder again," Ravenpaw offered flimsily.

"Warriors suffer their pain silently," Bluefur meowed, her voice cool and level. "It shows weakness to speak so freely of your pains."

Ravenpaw flinched at her words, his eyes intently focused on the ground.

"Today we will practice stalking," Lionheart announced. "There is a big difference between creeping up on a mouse and creeping up on a rabbit – what is it?"

Tinypaw kept his mouth shut – he knew nothing about this topic, but he was eager to learn. Ravenpaw was sitting beside him, mouth clamped tight as if by Bluefur's request.

"Come now," Bluefur scoffed. "One of you must know!"

Graypaw answered, "A rabbit will smell you before he sees you, but a mouse will hear your pawsteps long before you get close."

"Good!" Lionheart praised. Graypaw's eyes sparkled. "Bearing that in mind, what must you keep in mind when hunting mice?"

Tinypaw's reply was tentative. "Step lightly?"

"Right, Tinypaw," Lionheart agreed. Tinypaw felt warm under the golden tom's praise, and Bluefur looked at her apprentice approvingly. "You must put all your weight on your haunches so that your paws make no impact on the forest floor. Let's try it!"

Graypaw and Ravenpaw immediately dropped into practices hunting crouches. Tinypaw felt a twinge of envy for their knowledge.

"Nicely done, Graypaw!" Lionheart praised as Graypaw padded forward, as stealthy as possible.

"You look like a duck, Ravenpaw!" scolded Bluefur. "Keep your rear down!"

Ravenpaw mumbled to himself and obeyed, his tail shivering.

"Try it for yourself, Tinypaw," Bluefur offered, looking away from Ravenpaw. "I was told you almost caught a mouse when Graypaw found you. Let's see how good you are."

Nervous, Tinypaw lowered himself into a crouch. He did his best to copy Graypaw and Ravenpaw, making sure to keep his rear down as he crossed the hollow.

"Well balanced," Bluefur offered, when Tinypaw sat up again. "But your forward movement is clumsy and your pace is nothing short of lumbering!"

Tinypaw flattened his ears. He hadn't expected to be good, but he hadn't expected such harsh criticisms. He listened intently, making sure to absorb all the information – determined to get this right.

"All of that will come with time," Lionheart assured Bluefur. "Tinypaw is smaller than Ravenpaw and Graypaw – his movements didn't quite reflect that. I'm confident you'll help him learn to adapt."

"Yes, I suppose," Bluefur meowed, shifting on her shorter legs. She glanced at Ravenpaw and sighed, "I suppose Tinypaw's effort is better than Ravenpaw's. After two moons of training Tigerstar won't be pleased to hear that you're still putting all your weight onto one side!"

Ravenpaw's eyes were pools of misery at her words. Tinypaw stepped forward and said, "It's his injury, that's all – he doesn't want to reopen it!"

"Injuries are a fact of our lives, Tinypaw," Bluefur meowed back, her blue eyes cold and narrowed, like icy daggers. "Ravenpaw should know that as well as you seem to – and he ought to be ashamed at being shown up by such a smaller, younger cat!"

Tinypaw flinched at his mentor's words. Unable to face Ravenpaw, he turned his guilty eyes to his own paws, wishing he hadn't said anything at all.

"Well, _I'm_ more lopsided than a one-legged badger!" complained Graypaw rather loudly. He staggered comically across the hollow, holding one leg up and out as he hobbled along. "I'll have to settle for squashing my prey! They shall not stand a chance – I shall sit on them until they surrender!"

"Enough, Graypaw! This is no time for your jokes," chuckled Lionheart. Even Bluefur's whiskers were twitching with a slight hint of amusement. "Perhaps you might focus your mind better if you were to try stalking for real?"

Graypaw dropped the act and lifted his tail, his eyes bright and excited. Even Ravenpaw looked up, eyes wide. Tinypaw lifted his head, heart thudding in his ears. Stalking? Stalking _real_ mice, not the dream ones that always faded in his paws, or disappeared?

"I want each of you to try catching some real prey," Lionheart said. "Ravenpaw, look by Owltree. Graypaw, that bramble patch over there looks like it might hold something. Tinypaw, follow that rabbit track over the rise – there's a dry streambed there that might hold something for you."

Even Ravenpaw looked excited as the three apprentices padded away on their task. Tinypaw did as he was asked, following the rabbit track up the hill until he reached a dry streambed. In leaf-fall Tinypaw figured this stream ran with water from the rains, but now it was dry.

He opened his mouth, scenting for prey. Blood pounded in his ears as he caught the scent of mouse – easily recognized because of his very first meal in the camp. He opened his eyes and ears wide, catching sight and sound of the creature scuffling amongst the dried reeds that surrounded the empty stream.

The brown creature was huddled on the other side of the streambed, shuffling in the grass. Tinypaw, eager, lowered his body. Taking every piece of advice into account, he moved forward as carefully as possible, tail low and rear lower.

When he was within striking distance, Tinypaw shifted his weight onto his back legs for his spring. Air rushed beneath his belly as he leaped – and his aim was true. He landed on the mouse and, without giving it a second to flee he bit its neck and killed it.

Lifting the warm body in his jaws, he couldn't help but purr. His first catch, so much better than stalking in his dreams!

Tail high, he retraced his path back to the training hollow, eager to show Bluefur and Lionheart his catch. He was nothing less than a true Clan apprentice now – there was no doubt about it!


	8. Chapter 6

**Here's the first chapter that differs from what's in the book!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_Tinypaw woke before dawn, eager and_ restless. Graypaw was gone, off hunting or patrolling with Lionheart. Dustpaw was sleeping in his nest, his dark-striped tail curled over his nose. As Tinypaw pushed himself out of the apprentice's den, he spotted Sandpaw taking off at a trot with Whitestorm.

Ravenpaw was the only other apprentice awake and present. Tinypaw approached carefully, knowing that Ravenpaw was a nervous cat and tended to jump. He was picking at a robin, plucking each feather out of the bird and laying them out in a pile beside him.

"Hey," Tinypaw greeted.

Ravenpaw grunted, flicking his white-tipped tail in greeting as he spat out a mouthful of feathers. Tinypaw settled beside him, curling his tail around his paws and relishing the sun on his back.

"How's your shoulder?" Tinypaw asked. "Are you training with Tigerstar today?"

Ravenpaw replied, "It's getting better. I'll be training with Tigerstar later; but Bluefur was looking for you."

Tinypaw's ear twitched. "Oh," he mewed. "Where is she?"

"She told me to… to tell you to meet her in the s-sandy hollow," Ravenpaw stammered. His voice hitched a little, but Tinypaw didn't pay it any mind.

_Bluefur will be upset if I'm late,_ he thought. It was only three days after his first catch, and Tinypaw had been eager to prove himself every day. Of course he had been hunting for the elders under the close supervision of Lionheart and Bluefur, but this was the first time that he would be training alone with his mentor.

"I should get going, then," he said, excitement in his voice.

"Be careful," Ravenpaw murmured.

Tinypaw had bid Ravenpaw farewell though, and was already halfway to the entrance before Ravenpaw's warning ghosted past his ear fur. Be careful? Tinypaw knew that warrior training would be difficult, but if it was as hard as catching a mouse Tinypaw was sure it wouldn't be so bad.

The sandy floor of the hollow was soft and warm on Tinypaw's pads as the young, small cat loped into the clearing. Bluefur was there waiting for him, as Ravenpaw had promised. She was settled comfortably in the sand, her blue-gray fur glowing in the light.

"Tinypaw," she purred, "glad you could make it."

"I'm sorry for being late," Tinypaw huffed, settling a fox-length before his mentor.

Bluefur pushed herself to her paws. She began to pace the hollow, walking circles around Tinypaw. Tinypaw could feel her gave penetrating his pelt, cold as ice, and he dared not move from his position.

"Are you excited to train with me?" Bluefur asked. Her voice was behind him.

"Absolutely!" Tinypaw said, emphatically. "I can't wait to get started – what are we learning today?"

Bluefur did not reply.

Tinypaw blinked, realizing that the world was silent. Bluefur was not moving. He turned his head, looking behind him towards where Bluefur had been.

"Bluefur?" he asked. "Where are -!"

His question was driven from him as suddenly a great weight crashed into his small body. Tinypaw tumbled through the sand, breathless. When he finally had his balance, he dug his claws into the ground and pushed himself up.

Bluefur stood before him, crouched to spring again. Tinypaw looked at her, shocked.

"An attack can come at any time!" she growled. Her haunches wriggled. "You _must_ be prepared to defend your Clan at _all_ times!"

Tinypaw just barely dodged her next pounce. Bluefur landed on top of Tinypaw's previous position just as the smaller cat managed to scramble away. He felt her breath on his tail as he streaked across the hollow, blood roaring in his ears.

"Will you run from an enemy warrior?" Bluefur taunted, growling.

Tinypaw, heart racing, turned – but he slipped on the soft sand and landed on his side. Bluefur leaped over him and in one fluid movement – and perfect balance – planted her paws on his throat.

"Dead," she declared.

Bluefur lifted her paws and then padded, tail lashing, to the opposite end of the hollow.

"Again!" she ordered.

Tinypaw pushed himself up, breathless. His battle with Longtail flashed before his eyes, and he realized that this was battle training with a warrior that was far more seasoned than Longtail had been. Bluefur's muscles rippled as she crouched, her tail low and eyes fixed on Tinypaw.

This time, though, Tinypaw rushed at her. _I can catch her by surprise!_ He thought.

His hopes were dashed as Bluefur leaped clean over him, grabbed his tail in her teeth, and in a swift, fluid completion of the move pushed Tinypaw back down onto the ground with her paws. Tinypaw crashed to the ground again, his tail stinging.

"Your eyes betray you," Bluefur growled. "Again!"

Tinypaw pushed himself up, facing the blue-gray she-cat. He shook the dust from his pelt. Was this what warrior training was like? It must be!

_My eyes betray me…?_ Tinypaw thought. He peered at Bluefur, and he couldn't help but smirk. He would aim for her paws, but he would go for her ears instead…

When he tried to attack, though, Bluefur dodged him with mocking grace. Tinypaw fell flat on his stomach, tasting sand on his tongue.

Bluefur scoffed, "You really fight like a kittypet! This is going to be harder than I thought."

Tinypaw pushed himself up again, only to see Bluefur charging at him like a great gray monster. Tinypaw's ears pricked in alarm, and he scrabbled to his paws as quickly as he could.

He was too late – she was on him. Bluefur pulled him back down onto the hollow floor by his haunches, pinning him with her bigger paws and greater weight. Tinypaw wriggled beneath her grasp, paws flailing but passing harmlessly through thick gray-blue fur.

Bluefur bent down and, eyes betraying her disappointment, growled, "You will train with me every day until you can land a blow. Do you understand?"

Tinypaw nodded shakily.

Bluefur lifted herself off of him.

"Again!" she shouted.

And she kept her word – for a quarter moon Bluefur trained Tinypaw endlessly. Each night the small cat would go back to his den defeated, with a new scratch or ache to complain about; and each morning he would rise before dawn to meet Bluefur in the sandy hollow to receive that day's new scratch or ache. Graypaw and Ravenpaw did not do battle training with him throughout this period – he was always alone with Bluefur.

When he wasn't training with Bluefur he was hunting for the elders – and even then he wasn't safe.

Many times Bluefur lunged at him while Tinypaw's senses were focused elsewhere. "You must be prepared _at all times_ for an attack!" she would growl, before placing a paw at Tinypaw's throat and proclaiming him "dead".

"An attack can come at any time!" The mantra was stuck in his head.

But after a quarter moon of all of the fighting, all of the scratches, and all of the bruises and aches, Tinypaw formulated an idea.

"Dead," Bluefur proclaimed, placing her paw at his throat.

Tinypaw did not move. He lay crouched beneath her, feeling all of the aches and scratches boiling up beneath his fur as frustration that he had, yet again, lost.

And then, as if it were a sign from StarClan themselves, he had an idea.

Tinypaw and Bluefur clashed again. Hissing, spitting, flailing, tumbling through the sand they went – but Tinypaw could not land a blow. His paws were too small – too easily avoided. Bluefur reared up onto her hind legs and bore down on him with all her weight.

But Tinypaw crouched submissively before her, ears flattened, belly exposed.

"You admit defeat already?" Bluefur growled, landing on her paws, crouching before him in victory. "You have truly learned nothing! I'm not sure if there's anything softer than a kittypet – but if there was, you would be it! At this rate you won't last in a border skirmish, let alone a Clan-on-Clan battle! What a waste of – _oof!"_

In the middle of her gloating, when her anger was at its peak, Tinypaw surged forward and struck her with all his might. His paw lashed at her face, striking her across the cheek. Bluefur tumbled into the sand, all four legs sprawled out.

Tinypaw approached, and placed his single white paw at her throat. Looking at her with obvious satisfaction, he meowed, "Dead."

Bluefur chuckled, "So you _do_ have some fight in you after all!"

Tinypaw let her up. Bluefur shook out her coat, sand puffing in all directions around her. "A clever trick from a kittypet," she purred, looking at Tinypaw with some measure of satisfaction. "But know that it will only work once."

"Once was all I needed," Tinypaw told her.

"Where did you learn that?" Bluefur wondered. She licked her paw and drew it over her ear. "Some warriors use a similar tactic, but it's not one that's often trained – I certainly didn't teach it to you."

"My brother taught me," Tinypaw explained. He told Bluefur of how, when he was younger, he and Rusty would play-fight in Tinypaw's yard.

Bluefur twitched her ear. "And this Rusty fellow," she murmured. "What does he look like?"

"He has flame-colored fur and green eyes," Tinypaw answered. The easiest cat in Twolegplace to find, other than Tinypaw himself.

Bluefur's eyes were far away, and she twitched her ear again. She seemed to be thinking; so Tinypaw took this time to lick his pelt clean of dust, grateful for the break.

"Very well," she meowed finally. Tinypaw looked up from his washing. "Realize this, Tinypaw – you are a kittypet no longer. You are a Clan cat, and you will fight like a Clan cat. There is no playful boxing in battle. A tactic like that is useful once – but only once."

Tinypaw nodded, understanding.

"The day is still young," Bluefur decided. "You have landed one blow on me, Tinypaw – but now your training intensifies…"


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_Tinypaw slid through the undergrowth, feeling_ grass and leaves brushing against his sleek, muscular black pelt. Two moons of Bluefur's training were behind him now, and with her help his senses were awakened and educated to the ways of the wild. Sunshine warmed his pelt, not yet bearing the heat it promised for the rest of the day.

He made a lean, strong shape as he stalked through the undergrowth. He was careful to keep his senses trained on his prey, while still keeping an eye on the world around him. An attack can come from any time, Bluefur always said, and it was often that she herself would be testing Tinypaw's awareness.

Though he knew that Bluefur was patrolling with Lionheart right now, he couldn't help but keep wondering if she was behind every bramble he passed, or if she was waiting to trip him up by leaping down from the trees. He wasn't about to mess up his first official solo task – hunting for the Clan – by getting tripped up by one of her surprises.

He headed for the stream he had crossed during his first trek through the territory. It had been strange to him before – a place he hadn't known – but now he passed by it most days when out training with Bluefur or Graypaw and Ravenpaw. Slowly but surely, the unfamiliar forest he had been staring out at for most of his life had unfolded, and now it was his territory to protect and defend. His territory to hunt in. His territory to live in. It wasn't strange anymore – it was _home._

Tinypaw paused to lap at the cool, clear water as it gurgled and bubbled across a bed of tiny stones. Its coolness was refreshing, and he paused to allow the water to wash away the warmth stored in his black pelt. He let his senses range further, wondering if the swishing in the bushes was Bluefur creeping up on him or just the wind playing with the leaves.

_I can't be so paranoid!_ He thought of Ravenpaw, who jumped at every little thing. _I'm a warrior, not a mouse!_

He took a deep breath, only to gag – fox-stench lay heavy in this part of the forest, and Tinypaw nearly gagged on its foulness. He took a step back from the stream, clearing his senses before he opened his jaws again, this time to pick up the fox's scent. The smell was stale – the fox had been here earlier in the day.

It was thanks to Bluefur that he even knew what one smelled like. She taught him during one of their hunting sessions, and told him that the stench he had smelled on his first outing from his Twoleg nest was fox. Foxes were dangerous to the Clan, especially with so many little ones in the nursery – they had a penchant for snapping up unwatched kits, and Tinypaw had heard from the elders that their bites tended to get infected easier than other wounds.

He decided he would keep an eye out for the fox, and if he didn't see it he would warn the Clan. Forcing himself to push past the fox-scent, Tinypaw began looking for prey again. The smell of water vole touched Tinypaw's scent glands, and his stomach rumbled.

_The Clan must be fed first,_ warned Bluefur in his mind.

Tinypaw sighed. He would be hunting most of the day – he'd have to start squashing those hunger pangs now if he were going to make it through.

He spotted the water vole near the bank of the stream, not far from Tinypaw's own position. He dropped into his nearly-perfected hunter's crouch and began to creep towards it, careful not to let his paws splash in the water as he crossed the stream. He kept his tail low as he wiggled his haunches, preparing to pounce.

The wind changed, and bushes rustled loudly nearby. Tinypaw cursed as the water vole lifted its head, twitched its ears, and then disappeared amongst the fronds.

Tinypaw pushed himself up to his paws and growled, lashing his tail in frustration. Whatever had interrupted his hunting was going to pay for it. The fur on his hackles rose as he scented the air.

With shock, he realized that it was a cat – but he couldn't tell who it was. The stench of fox was interfering too much.

Growling to himself, Tinypaw doubled back, covering a wide circle with his search. He kept his eyes and ears open for any hint of sound. The rustling continued – and a twig _snapped_ in nearby. Tinypaw followed the sounds, pressing himself to the ground to keep from being seen.

_Whatever it is, it must be big!_ He thought. _I don't think it's Bluefur…_ He tensed his muscles. If it was Bluefur, doubling back from her patrol to check on him, he would be in for a real fight.

_I'll get the drop on her before she can get the drop on me,_ Tinypaw decided, eyeing a sturdy ash tree. He climbed it swiftly, perching himself on an overhanging branch that could bear his weight. His icy blue eyes scanned the undergrowth below him, and Tinypaw was satisfied to find he had a much better vantage point up here than he did wandering around in the bushes.

A large grayish shape emerged from the bushes.

Tinypaw's battle cry rumbled in his throat as he leaped, landing square on the gray cat's shoulders. He dug into the furry, muscular shoulders with his claws, hanging on tight as, startled, his foe began writhing and panicking beneath him.

"What's going on?" screeched the cat. He leaped straight up into the air, carrying Tinypaw with him.

"Graypaw?" Tinypaw meowed, recognizing the voice.

"Ambush!" Graypaw declared, not understanding that it was Tinypaw gripping his shoulders. Tinypaw felt Graypaw's body twist beneath him, and realized too late that his friend was trying to dislodge him like he would any other attacker.

Tinypaw quickly pulled his claws out of Graypaw's thick fur and leaped just as Graypaw's body hit the dirt. Tinypaw landed on all fours while Graypaw writhed on the ground, paws and claws flailing in the air as his panicked, aggressive mewls clouded the forest air.

"Graypaw, it's me – Tinypaw!" Tinypaw called, tail flicking nervously. "It's just me!"

Graypaw, on his spine, looked up at Tinypaw, his mouth open in a wide o shape. The thick-furred tom got to his paws and then craned his neck to look at his shoulders. "You've shredded me!" he complained. "I'll be feeling that tomorrow!"

"I thought you were an enemy warrior," Tinypaw insisted. _Well, I thought you were Bluefur…_ He had a feeling that his friend would take being compared to Tinypaw's mentor the wrong way.

"It sure felt like it!" Graypaw complained. He gave one of his shoulders a lick. "I'm not going to have fur there for a moon!"

"Sorry," Tinypaw murmured. Louder, he offered, "What was I supposed to think, with you creeping up on me like that?"

"Creeping?" Graypaw blinked, his voice tight with indignation. "That was my best stealth crouch!"

"You stalk like a lopsided badger," Tinypaw told him playfully. "You were shaking bushes and breaking ever twig you stepped on!"

Graypaw hissed, "I'll show you lopsided!"

The gray apprentice swiped at Tinypaw. The sudden blow with such a big paw sent Tinypaw's head glittering with stars. When Tinypaw recovered himself, Graypaw was already in the air.

Tinypaw was more prepared than Graypaw thought – Bluefur had attacked him like that before. Tinypaw rolled away, and then leaped onto Graypaw's back again, leaving his claws out of the equation. Graypaw huffed and growled, and when he attempted to roll Tinypaw off the smaller cat leaped away.

Graypaw came at him again, and when he struck Tinypaw the smaller cat let Graypaw think he'd won. He followed through with the strike, allowing Graypaw to pin him down. Tinypaw crouched, feigning defeat.

"You give up too easily!" Graypaw chuckled.

Tinypaw felt the air stir his pelt as Graypaw prepared to squash him with all his might. Tinypaw didn't let him – as soon as he felt Graypaw begin to descend, Tinypaw leaped into the air, crashing straight into him. Graypaw was flung sideways into the dirt and Tinypaw landed on his paws, unharmed.

"Surprise is a warrior's greatest weapon!" he crowed, parroting Lionheart.

Feeling his pelt heavy with dust, Tinypaw rolled onto his back and squirmed in the leaves, shaking off the debris. Graypaw pushed himself to his paws.

"You've got me there," Graypaw huffed. "By StarClan, you fight like a warrior, Tinypaw! Who would've thought?"

"Not me," Tinypaw admitted. He rolled himself back onto his paws, still feeling full of energy despite his hunger and the play-fight. "Bluefur's training is doing wonders for me."

"That's great," Graypaw meowed. "I hear she can be tough to impress."

"Well…" Tinypaw went on, "I was doing just fine on her assignment until you came along. I was about to catch a vole when you scared it off with your stamping!"

Graypaw flicked an ear. "Sorry," he mewed apologetically.

Tinypaw purred. "It's OK," he mewed. "You didn't know. Didn't you have a message for Bluefur's patrol from Tigerstar?"

Graypaw nodded. "But I've got plenty of time," he assured Tinypaw. "I was going to do a little hunting before I set off – I'm starving!"

Tinypaw's own stomach growled. "I am too," he admitted. "But I have to hunt for the Clan before I can hunt for myself."

"I'll bet you Sandpaw or Dustpaw swallow a shrew or two when they're hunting," offered Graypaw with a mischievous glint.

Tinypaw somehow couldn't imagine that – Dustpaw, maybe; but not Sandpaw. "I know," he told Graypaw, "but this is my first solo task…"

"And you want to do it right," Graypaw finished. "I know, I know."

"What _is_ the message from Tigerstar, anyway?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw flicked an ear. "He wants the patrol to wait for him at the Great Sycamore until he joins them at sunhigh. Apparently there's been ShadowClan scents about and he wants to give the area a good looking-around."

"You'd best get going," Tinypaw offered, ushering Graypaw off with one paw. "You shouldn't be late for something like that."

"WindClan territory isn't far," Graypaw assured him, "and I've got loads of time – enough to help you out after losing you that vole."

"R-Really?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw nodded. "It's a warm day," he added. "There's bound to be more than one out and about. It could take you ages without my help."

Tinypaw looked up at the sky. He had missed one vole, and spent all this time talking to Graypaw… he had to admit his friend was right. It might even be past sunset when he finally came home, his belly an empty cavern…

"C'mon," Graypaw said, "I'll help you get started. I owe you that, at least. I know we can catch a couple of voles before I have to get going."

Tinypaw nodded in agreement, grateful for the help of his friend.

Graypaw led the way upstream, Tinypaw trotting behind him. His tail, up from the pleasant company, suddenly bristled with alarm.

"You smell that?" he asked.

"Yeah," Graypaw agreed. "Fox."

The stench that had been stale before was suddenly stronger, making Tinypaw want to gag. It was far, far stronger – there was no doubt that the fox was nearby.

Together, with wordless nods to one another, the two apprentices slunk through the bushes, following the scent. They came to a great clump of bushes where the smell was strongest, and Tinypaw risked poking his head around them to peer at the fox.

His eyes flew wide – the fox was long-bodied and lean, with long legs and a bushy tail. Its whole body was covered in a dark ginger fur, with black-furred legs and white patches. Its nose and ears were sharp, long, and distinctive.

Tinypaw pulled back. "That's a fox?" he whispered.

Graypaw nodded gravely.

"I… I was following one when we first met…" Tinypaw realized.

"More like it was following you!" scoffed Graypaw. "Foxes are treacherous – never trust one! We need to warn the queens that there's one in our territory – they're as bad as badgers when it comes to taking kits. They look like a dog, but behave like a cat, and they're _always_ hungry. You wouldn't have been half a match for one way back then."

Graypaw glanced over at Tinypaw, looking him up and down.

"Now, though," he added, "you'd stand a much better chance, I think."

"Really?" Tinypaw wondered.

Graypaw nodded.

"Tigerstar will send a patrol to chase it off," Graypaw told him. "Let's get away from it, though – no way we're finding any prey around here with _that_ thing about."

Tinypaw nodded in agreement. The fox hadn't noticed them, and the two continued in the opposite direction, following the stream.

"So… what's a badger look like?" Tinypaw asked as they walked.

"Short, black-and-white, and mean," Graypaw stated. "You'll know one when you see one, trust me. Their bite is really vicious, but they're less likely to raid a camp. You know how Halftail lost his tail?"

Tinypaw shook his head.

"A badger bit if off," Graypaw explained. "Afterward Halftail couldn't climb trees, so he had to become an elder. A cat needs his tail if he wants to balance on branches!"

Tinypaw nodded in understanding.

* * *

Together, the hunting was good. Graypaw caught a mouse before long, ending its life quickly. Tinypaw brought down a thrush. There was no time for practicing killing techniques – the Clan was hungry and they couldn't waste their time.

As Tinypaw kicked earth over their catches, a squirrel broke cover.

"After it!" called Graypaw.

The two pelted across the springy woodland floor, tails streaming behind them. The squirrel was just ahead, out of their reach.

It scrambled up a wobbly birch as the two slid to a halt at the tree's trunk. Graypaw cursed under his breath.

A familiar stench hit Tinypaw's nose – not a fox, but…

"The Thunderpath," Tinypaw breathed. He hadn't realized they'd come so far.

The two cats edged out of the forest, peering out into the sunshine at the dark, stone-hard path. It was the first time they were here alone, without warriors. Noisy monsters were crossing its surface, filling the air with their stink.

Graypaw curled his nose. "I could go my whole life and be grateful for never smelling this again," he complained.

Tinypaw nodded in agreement.

"Have you ever been across it?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw shook his head. "Wouldn't want to," he said. "ShadowClan territory is over there, and I'm not about to die to see it!"

Tinypaw stepped out onto the oily grass. A monster roared past, and then the path was silent. Tinypaw crept up on the path, ears alert for more monsters. It was silent when he reached the very edge of the Thunderpath and placed his paw down on the hard, warm surface.

_It's… sticky?_ Tinypaw thought, confused as the sensations traveling up his paws. He looked away from the Thunderpath and into the bushes on the other side. ShadowClan territory, apparently, though Tinypaw couldn't see beyond the bushes.

Was… was that a pair of eyes?

"Tinypaw, look out!"

Tinypaw flung himself backward as a monster rocketed across the path. The small tom landed on his side in the oily grass, just before Graypaw. The monster kicked up foul air as it passed by, and when Tinypaw looked across the Thunderpath the eyes were gone.

"What were you doing?!" Graypaw demanded, whiskers trembling. "Are you nuts?!"

Tinypaw's whiskers were trembling too. "I… I just wanted to see what it felt like," he offered lamely.

"It almost got you killed!" Graypaw huffed. He nudged Tinypaw to his paws and insisted, "Let's get out of here!"

Tinypaw nodded numbly and followed Graypaw back into the woods. The shock was wearing off now, and Tinypaw couldn't help but realize that that had definitely been some other cat watching him from across the Thunderpath.

"Graypaw," he breathed, "I think I saw a ShadowClan warrior – on the other side of the Thunderpath, in the bushes!"

"Really?" Graypaw mewed.

"I'm pretty sure," Tinypaw offered, before bending down to lick his ruffled fur.

"Well, it's a good thing that monster came when it did," decided Graypaw. "Where there's one ShadowClan warrior, there's more – and we're no match for them yet, even if you can fight like a crazy cat."

He looked up at the sky. Tinypaw could feel the sun beating down on his pelt – it was almost in the center of the sky.

"I need to get going," Graypaw decided. "Who knows? Lionheart might let me hunt with you when I'm done delivering the message?"

Tinypaw nodded and offered, "I hope so! And… I'll stay away from the Thunderpath."

"You'd better!" Graypaw chuckled. "See ya!"

Tinypaw mewed good-bye to his friend and didn't move until Graypaw disappeared into the bushes. His whiskers still tingled from his discovery – he had a lot of work ahead of him, but at least he could come back to camp knowing he had seen his first ShadowClan warrior.


	10. Chapter 8

**Just thought I ought to let you all know that with the completion of _Feather Falling_ I'll be working on another AU story, this one a little darker. It's another "What If" story, one that won't be covered by this story - what if Hawkfrost had killed Firestar with the fox trap in _Sunset?_**

**Other than that, I'll also be working on a little Hawk/Ivy fic - but I don't have the complete Omen of the Stars arc here at home so I'll have to either get that or have some other way of reading them so I can keep my facts straight for it.**

**Anyway, on to the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

_Tinypaw was retracing his steps back_ towards the stream. The scent of fox still lingered in the air, though not as pungent as before. Perhaps, he thought, there might be some prey wandering about now.

He found himself thinking of the eyes he'd spotted burning back at him across the Thunderpath, in ShadowClan's territory. Who were they? Would they cross?

A faint smell crossed his nose, hovering just over the fox's stench. Tinypaw sniffed, his fur fluffing up. He didn't recognize the smell.

_A stranger?_ He thought. _On my territory?_

Was it a rogue? A kittypet?

Perhaps it was that ShadowClan warrior?

Tinypaw let out a threatening growl. If it was, he would certainly let them know that they weren't welcome!

Another whiff of the scent told him several things – the stranger was a she-cat, most _definitely_ not from ThunderClan, and she was in one rotten mood. The stench of sickness was clinging to her, and it made Tinypaw's nose curl.

Tinypaw dropped low. He would not let this trespasser get any further into his territory! He crept forward, keeping his mouth open to scent the air. Suddenly, as he neared a bush, the scent grew fainter. Puzzled, he tilted his head.

A horrifying snarl heralded his foe, who burst from the bushes behind Tinypaw in a tangled knot of fur.

Tinypaw screeched, shocked, as the she-cat slammed into him. Heavy paws clamped down on his shoulders, and Tinypaw wriggled when iron jaws closed around the back of his neck. He had to think fast – if this angry she-cat were to sink her teeth in too deep it would be all over!

_I have to try,_ he thought, letting his muscles go limp. _Even if it only works once…_

He allowed himself to relax within the grip of his enemy, forcing his limbs to go limp.

The she-cat yowled triumphantly, "Ah! A kit, or a puny apprentice? It doesn't matter – you make easy prey for Yellowfang!"

Tinypaw's pelt burned at the insult. Oh, he couldn't wait to show her just what this little cat could do – what kind of warrior he was!

Yellowfang bit down, and Tinypaw surged upward. Her snarl of surprise made Tinypaw's whiskers twitch with joy as she landed with a _thump_ on the ground. Tinypaw hopped onto his toes, claws unsheathed, and ever battle move Bluefur had taught him so far spinning in his mind. He was ready for this – he could _fight._

"Not so easy prey, eh?" Tinypaw snarled back.

Yellowfang tore herself free of the brambles she'd been caught in, leaving tufts of gray fur behind. She wrinkled her smooshed nose at him and snarled back, "I suppose size isn't everything – not bad. But you'll have to do much better!"

Tinypaw narrowed his eyes, taking in his opponent. She had thick, matted, dark gray fur, and her face was of an odd sort – smooshed and flattened, unlike any that Tinypaw had seen before. Her eyes were round and orange, and her body was bulky. Scars from many battles tor her ears and scarred her face and body.

_She _is_ a warrior!_ He thought, with almost a bit of admiration for this she-cat. He puffed out his chest and snapped, "This is ThunderClan territory – move on!"

"Make me!" spat Yellowfang. "I'll hunt wherever I like!"

Tinypaw recoiled at her broken, yellowed teeth. _Her name is fitting,_ he thought. _Very well – if you won't leave, I'll make you!_

He didn't give her a warning – he leaped at her. _Surprise is a warrior's greatest ally,_ Lionheart had once said. Bluefur agreed, too – _Surprising your foe is the best way to get in a few good blows before they have a chance to react. They won't have any time to give you wounds._

Yellowfang let out a surprised screech as Tinypaw barreled into her, not expecting so much strength and muscle in such a small package. Yellowfang hit the dirt again, and Tinypaw drove his claws into her flanks.

He hissed in frustration – his attack would have worked, had Yellowfang's pelt been groomed like any sensible Clan cats'! With his claw caught in her tangles, Tinypaw could only grunt and wince as he tried to pull himself free.

"You were too hasty!" she scolded, almost purring. Her face twisted into a snarl. "You're no warrior yet, kit – this will be your downfall!"

She lunged away from him, ripping Tinypaw's claws out of her pelt without flinching. Tinypaw stumbled backward, eyes watering. A great shadow covered him as Yellowfang leaped.

Despite the pain, Tinypaw was ready for her. He dodged her lunge, and then struck again – lighter this time. She didn't seem to feel his blows as she whirled and lashed out with her claws. Tinypaw did his best to dodge all the blows, but she landed a stinger right on his flank that made him hiss.

Yellowfang lunged them, barreling Tinypaw over and into the dirt. They struggled together in an intense, rolling battle. Tinypaw did his best, aiming his blows more at Yellowfang's face and matted belly than risking getting his claws caught and torn off in her pelt. The cats rolled across the forest floor, spitting and kicking up dust as they went.

Finally Tinypaw felt Yellowfang's hind legs buried in his stomach. She pushed him away, and the small apprentice landed on his side, gasping for air. He lifted his head just in time to see her rearing up onto her hind legs, every part of her bristling and her gnarled teeth bared. Her orange eyes were like fire as they locked on Tinypaw's throat.

Heart beating rapidly in his ears, time seemed to slow as he recalled a trick that Bluefur had taught him one training session to easily unbalance any cat. Tinypaw scrambled to his paws as Yellowfang bore down on him.

_I hope this works!_ He thought, sliding beneath the she-cat. He reached out with his paw to a tendon on Yellowfang's leg, pressing as hard as he could.

Nothing happened.

_Mouse-dung!_ He thought, panicking. He scrambled out from underneath Yellowfang before she slammed him to the ground with her greater weight. Tinypaw turned quickly on his paws and lunged, sinking his teeth right into the haunch of the older she-cat.

Yellowfang screeched in pain – Tinypaw took satisfaction that, even if his move hadn't worked, this was doing the trick. Tinypaw resisted the urge to gag as he bit down harder, tasting blood.

The old she-cat twisted so much in Tinypaw's grip that it felt like she would rip his teeth out. She whipped around, and Tinypaw let out a muffled shriek as her teeth connected with his tail.

Hissing in fury, Tinypaw let go of her leg and aimed a swipe at her head that hit so hard she not only let his tail go free, it sent vibrations up his limbs. Yellowfang tumbled to the ground, scattering dust clouds into the air.

Tinypaw got back onto all fours, mouth feeling rotten, panting. On his toes, he waited for the dust to clear.

When it did, he unbent his spine.

Yellowfang was curled into a piteous ball, her fur bristling with pain and her legs shaking with effort. As Tinypaw looked closer, he realized he could see nearly every bone bristling out from beneath the old she-cat's pelt. The hunger in her eyes and the sickness in her breath – the _need_ for care – made Tinypaw's heart ache.

_Having an open heart can be a weakness,_ Lionheart had said, _but it can also be a strength._

His moment of pity turned out to be too long – Tinypaw almost missed the flash of angry gray as Yellowfang lunged for him. He stepped back, instantly on his toes again.

"Haven't you had enough?" he asked, frustrated. She was a tenacious old bag, that was for sure.

"Never!" Yellowfang spat back.

She leaped at him again, and for the second time the two rolled through the dust, scratching and biting. Tinypaw thrashed beneath the older cat's stronger grip, dodging every attempt she made to tear open his throat. He scrabbled at her underbelly with his hind claws, but all he succeeded in doing was tearing out those nasty mats.

Still, he sensed that she was weakening – Yellowfang's movements were growing more and more clumsy, and she was favoring her injured leg when she moved. Tinypaw took this as his chance – he kicked out with a back leg, slamming into her injured limb. Yellowfang screeched in pain and hobbled off of him, eyes tight with pain.

Tinypaw rolled away from her and back onto his paws again.

"If you think… I'm giving in…" Yellowfang wheezed, glaring at him with menace, "You're sorely… mistaken!"

She reared to leap…

… but her hind leg wobbled, and she crashed onto her side with a sharp _oof!_ She lay there, still, for several heartbeats – long enough for Tinypaw to wonder if he had somehow managed to kill this she-cat. But when he stepped towards her, an orange eye opened to glare at him.

"If I weren't so… hungry… you'd be mousemeat," she huffed. Her flattened face twisted in pain. "Finish me off. I can't stop you."

Tinypaw blinked at her.

Yellowfang's eyes narrowed. "You're dithering like a kittypet!" she snapped. "Kill me!"

Her words made his spine crawl. "I am an apprentice of ThunderClan!" he snapped.

He regretted letting the defensiveness of his tone through. Yellowfang's flattened face changed from malice to mocking scorn.

"You can't be serious," she snorted. "ThunderClan can't have stooped so low to recruit _kittypets_ into their ranks, can they? How desperate can they be?"

"ThunderClan is not desperate!" Tinypaw snapped back.

"Prove it!" she wheezed. "Kill me!"

"A true warrior doesn't kill without reason!" Tinypaw told her. Yellowfang rolled her eyes. Tinypaw narrowed his, demanding, "Why are you in such a hurry to die?"

"That's _my_ business," Yellowfang snarled back. "Now get off your high stump and finish me! Talking me to death isn't working."

_A warrior doesn't kill unless he has to,_ Tinypaw reminded himself, smelling the sickness of this she-cat. He weighed his options – she was dangerous, and she couldn't hunt for herself. Killing her would surely be a benefit to the Clan, especially with how tenacious she was.

But Tinypaw's heart was not so hard as he thought. Looking at her, it was an easy choice to make – every cat deserved to live, and this she-cat was a _warrior._

"Wait here," he ordered.

Yellowfang seemed to deflate. "I'm not going anywhere," she remarked. "Not right now." To prove her point, she lifted herself to her paws. Her energy lasted her until she reached a bit of soft-looking bracken, where she crashed. She lifted her head to begin licking at her injured leg.

Tinypaw hissed in frustration, mostly at himself, as he turned around and loped through the woods.

The sour reek of a long-dead rat filled his nostrils as he padded through the wood. He instantly pushed the thought aside – a warrior needed fresh meat, not crow-food. If he gave her the rat, she was like to die right there before his eyes

He thought of going for his thrush, the one he'd caught earlier, but that was too far away. No, he needed something quick – something he could grab now, before his flank began bothering him too much.

Rabbit-scent filled his nostrils, and Tinypaw crouched down. Even favoring his flank he was able to sneak up on the rabbit. From there, it was only a quick chase through the foliage and he had the rabbit in his jaws.

* * *

Yellowfang seemed to perk up a little at the sight of it when Tinypaw returned to her. Her face curled up into a smirk.

"I thought you might have gone to fetch your warrior friends," Yellowfang chuckled.

Tinypaw dropped the rabbit. He nudged it to her. "I still might," he growled. "If you don't want it…"

"Oh, no," Yellowfang cooed, "I-I'll take it."

Matted paws reached out from the makeshift nest and pulled the rabbit closer. Soon enough, the she-cat had her flattened face buried into the fresh-kill. The smell of the rabbit made Tinypaw's stomach tremble, and he sat down, squashing his cravings.

His mouth filled with water, so much so that he felt it would begin flowing out like a river.

Yellowfang sighed as she pulled away from the fresh-kill. She flopped down in her nest, breathing, "Mmmmm… first fresh meat I've had in days…" She settled more comfortabely, and as if the rabbit had finally given her the energy, she began to address her nasty, matted pelt.

Tinypaw looked down at the tattered remains of the rabbit. There wasn't enough there to line a warrior's stomach, but at this point _anything_ would be good. After all the of running around, the Thunderpath, the fighting… Tinypaw was trembling with hunger.

He lunged, tearing apart the remains of the rabbit hungrily. He had never tasted anything so delicious – it was comparable to his first mouse. He was licking the bones clean when Yellowfang spoke again.

"Better than that muck Twolegs feed our cousins, eh?" she rumbled, her eyes sparkling.

Tinypaw looked up from his meal. Was she really trying to tease him? Still? He ignored her, twisting around to wash, hoping to rid himself of the stench of his shame.

"It's poison!" she went on. "No better than rat droppings! Only a cat with no fight, no freedom, would accept such disgusting carrion! Only -" She broke off.

Tinypaw tensed, scenting the air.

_ThunderClan!_

Tinypaw's heart sank. _Oh, no…_ His first apprentice task on his own, without Bluefur as his shadow, and he had not only screwed it up – he had broken the warrior code!


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"_Well," huffed Yellowfang, "thanks for the_ meal!" Her fur ruffled in alarm, Yellowfang tried to get up – but her injured leg buckled beneath her and she crashed back into her nest.

Tinypaw's fur bristled at the sound of the approaching pawsteps. The closer they got, the more Tinypaw's heart throbbed. He could smell them – Tigerstar, Darkstripe, Willowpelt, Graypaw, and Bluefur.

_She's going to shred me!_ He wailed inwardly.

Yellowfang looked like she was about to try again – but it was too late. The undergrowth rustled, and the shadows of the ThunderClan patrol darkened the area. Darkstripe's nose was curled as he and the other members of the patrol encircled Yellowfang and Tinypaw. Tinypaw caught the glimpse of unsheathed claws.

"Hey, Tinypaw!" Graypaw called.

"Quiet, you!" snapped Darkstripe.

Tinypaw glanced at Yellowfang. He could smelled the fear-scent coming from her in waves – but she glared at Tigerstar, her orange eyes defiant. Tinypaw admired her spirit, but these were young, strong, fit warriors – if she said one wrong thing it wouldn't be hard for any of them to shred her.

"Tinypaw?" asked Tigerstar, his voice cool. "What is this – an enemy warrior? A recently fed one… from the smell of you both." Amber eyes drilled into Tinypaw, and the young apprentice dropped his head.

"She was weak…" he tried. "Exhausted…"

"And you?" Tigerstar asked accusingly. "Was your hunger so great that you fed yourself before your Clan?" His eyes narrowed. "I assume you had a _very good_ reason for breaking the warrior code?"

Tinypaw crouched, not fooled by Tigerstar's soft tone. He opened his mouth to speak, but Darkstripe's growl cut him off.

"Once a kittypet, always a kittypet," the dark warrior snapped. "There's no good reason to break the warrior code."

Tinypaw looked up, his eyes daring to meet Bluefur's. His mentor blinked evenly at him, her blue eyes dark and mysterious. Her pelt was unruffled, but Tinypaw could only imagine the fury and disappointment burning inside.

Tigerstar ignored Darkstripe's remark, turning his great head to look at Yellowfang. His eyes widened with surprise. "Well, well!" he mewed, "What have we here?"

Yellowfang's neck fur bristled, and she spat.

"Tinypaw, it seems that you have captured a ShadowClan cat – one I know well," Tigerstar explained, unruffled by Yellowfang. "This is Yellowfang, ShadowClan's medicine cat. What are you doing here beyond your borders in such a state?"

"I _was_ ShadowClan's medicine cat," Yellowfang spat back. "I choose my own path now."

Tinypaw blinked – he had his suspicions, but Yellowfang really _was_ a ShadowClan warrior? Her nasty, filthy condition had masked her territorial scent – that was the only explanation. Tackling her might have been more satisfying had he known, and despite what he had done he couldn't help but feel proud of defeating her.

"You seem to have fallen on hard times," chuckled Bluefur, "if you were beaten by my apprentice."

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. "This kit is _your_ apprentice?" She shifted in the ferns, her lip curled. "That explains much."

"She's no use to us," Darkstripe spat. "Let's just kill the old bag and be done with it! The _kittypet_ has broken the warrior code and needs to be punished!"

"Keep your claws in, Darkstripe," Tigerstar ordered firmly. "All Clans tell tales of Yellowfang's great knowledge and skill, her bravery and wisdom. We will take her back to our camp and decide what to do with her there."

He stepped closer to Yellowfang, unperturbed by her hostility. "Can you walk?" he asked.

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. She had no choice but to come, and it was killing her. "I have three good legs," she snapped back. "If you'll give me room enough to get up and use them!"

Tigerstar stepped back. Yellowfang, her eyes glazed with pain, forced herself up onto her paws, with her injured leg sticking out awkwardly. She tested it on the ground and hissed, glaring daggers at Tinypaw.

To Bluefur, she complained, "That kit of an apprentice fights like a fox – and bites like one, too!"

Bluefur did not respond, but she twitched her whiskers.

Willowpelt and Darkstripe took up positions beside Yellowfang, while Bluefur and Tigerstar took the lead and began padding towards home. Tinypaw sulked behind, and Graypaw caught up to him as they pushed through the undergrowth.

"Have _you_ heard of Yellowfang?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw frowned. "I heard she was a warrior before she became a medicine cat – which is unusual," he replied. "Hard to imagine a cat like her as a loner, though – she lived her whole life in ShadowClan!"

"A loner?" Tinypaw asked. He'd heard of rogues – violent cats who didn't care about boundaries, who were willing to fight for the sake of it. Loner was new.

"A cat who doesn't live with a Clan," Graypaw replied. "Not always as violent as a rogue, but they usually keep to themselves. Darkstripe says that they're cowardly and selfish, and that they're no better than crows."

"I might end up like that once Tigerstar and Bluefur are finished with me," Tinypaw remarked.

Graypaw gave him an encouraging nudge. "Tigerstar is fair – he won't let anything like that happen to you. He seems pleased about you catching such an important warrior!"

"But what about Bluefur?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw's eyes faltered. "I have no idea," he admitted. "It's bad luck you got caught breaking the warrior code – Bluefur sticks to it like a leaf to a branch. I'm sure her punishment will be fair, though."

Tinypaw sighed. His paws felt heavy and a dark cloud hung over him as they headed back to camp. This was not how he had envisioned his first solo task to end.

* * *

When the patrol passed the sentries who guarded the camp, ThunderClan cats came rushing to greet the warrior patrol, forming crowded lines on either side of them as they trekked into camp. Hushed murmurs grew into a roar of questions, and it was Longtail who flung to first insult at Yellowfang.

"ShadowClan mange-bag!" he spat.

The crowd erupted into jeers and taunts, but Yellowfang seemed to feel none of them. She limped with the patrol until they reached the Highrock, where the hungry she-cat flopped down. Ignoring the glances and the hissing from ThunderClan, she twisted around and began washing her injured leg.

Ferns rustled, and Spottedleaf emerged from her shady corner. The crowd parted to let the tortoiseshell through to Yellowfang.

Yellowfang raised her head and spat, "I know how to care for my own wounds, thank you very much!"

Spottedleaf didn't look hurt, but she stepped back. She glanced at Tinypaw and blinked. "I'll get you something for your flank."

Tinypaw watched her disappear back into the ferns. Only a moment later she reappeared, a bundle of cobwebs tied to one paw. Tinypaw took comfort in Spottedleaf's sweet scent as she pressed them into his scratch.

"Keep that on there," she told him gently. "It'll stop the bleeding and make the wound heal better."

Tinypaw nodded and murmured a thank you when she stepped away from him. Spottedleaf turned away and slipped back into the safety of her ferns.

While she had been busy helping Tinypaw, the Clan had begun to pick from the fresh-kill pile. Warriors were gathered near the nettle patch, chomping hungrily on their meal, while the apprentices were huddled by the stump, chatting. Tinypaw's stomach growled – the rabbit had been nice, but not entirely filling… but he didn't dare take anything for himself.

Tinypaw settled himself near the Highrock – but away from Yellowfang. Bluefur, Lionheart, and Tigerstar were huddled together, eating and talking. Tinypaw was desperate to know his fate, so he strained his ears to listen as best he could.

"It's too dangerous to bring an enemy warrior to the heart of our Clan," Bluefur insisted. "Now the tiniest ShadowClan kit will hear of our camp!"

"Calm down, Bluefur," Tigerstar soothed. "Yellowfang said she was traveling alone now – a loner. According to her she has no reason to go back to ShadowClan."

"ShadowClan is full of liars," Bluefur growled back. "Why should we believe her?"

"I'm wondering more about why the ShadowClan medicine cat would _choose_ to leave her Clan," Lionheart rumbled. "There she has safety, security. Why leave now? There's something going on with this, mark my words."

"Consider them marked," Tigerstar agreed. To Bluefur he meowed, "Yellowfang has no reason to share our secrets with a Clan she's willingly left behind… but think what ShadowClan secrets she might share with _us?"_

Bluefur's eyes narrowed into thoughtful slits. Her fur flattened, and the senior warrior picked herself up and padded towards the fresh-kill pile.

Tigerstar stood, too, and began heading across the camp – straight for Tinypaw. Tinypaw's heartbeat quickened – was he going to be punished? But Tigerstar walked right past him, striding like a beast, and towards the nursery.

"Frostfur!" he called out.

A white head poked out of the nursery, with eyes as blue as the sky. "Yes?" the queen mewed. The needy mewling of kits could be heard through the opening.

"Apprentices have sighted a fox in the area," Tigerstar rumbled. "Warn the queens to guard the nursery carefully – no cat under six moons is to leave the camp until the fox has been driven off."

"Of course," Frostfur mewed. The white she-cat pushed herself back into the nursery. "Hush, sweet kits!" she purred. "I'm back…"

A wood pigeon, plump and juicy, was waiting for Tigerstar. He carried it back to Lionheart, and the two began to share it. Tinypaw's own hunger was ferocious – but he was already in enough trouble.

"Take those last mice to the elders," Bluefur ordered from the nettle patch. "You brought back no prey, so you will get none."

Tinypaw nodded in regretful understanding. He picked up the mice in his teeth, resisting the urge to chimp them down then and there. He laid them out in the soft green of the elder's den and watched as the older cats tore them apart.

He expected no thanks, and was offered none.

_At least I had the rabbit,_ he thought. _It was something._ There would be nothing for him to eat until tomorrow, when he had hunted again for the Clan and himself.

Tinypaw padded over to Ravenpaw and Graypaw, who had finished eating. He sat near them, and the three began sharing tongues. Tinypaw was careful around Ravenpaw's shoulder wound – whenever his tongue got too close, the skinny tom stiffened. Though the wound had long since healed, Ravenpaw still acted as if it bothered him on occasion.

"Has Bluefur or Tigerstar mentioned your punishment yet?" Graypaw asked between laps as he washed Tinypaw's spine.

"Not yet," Tinypaw said gloomily.

Ravenpaw let out a sympathetic murmur, and the washing continued in silence.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Tigerstar called. His shape was powerful and dark against the skyline as the Clan gathered beneath the Highrock's shadow.

Tinypaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw said nothing as they joined the other apprentices at the outskirts of the meeting. Dustpaw shifted away from them, while Sandpaw pointedly ignored their presence. Tinypaw was used to that, though it hurt him a little to know her first impression of him was soured by the death of Redtail.

"Before we begin with Yellowfang," Tigerstar meowed, "I'm afraid I have grave news to share. Today I traveled with a patrol to WindClan territory. We met no WindClan cats even though we traveled far into the heart of the moorland, and every tree and rock was sprayed with ShadowClan scent so much that the air reeked of it."

There was silence. Tinypaw sensed confusion in every warrior present.

"Do… do you mean to say that ShadowClan _chased WindClan out?"_ Smallear rasped.

"We can't be sure," Tigerstar said sympathetically. "The scent of ShadowClan was everywhere. We found scraps of fur, and blood – there was a struggle, but no bodies."

Shocked yowls rose from the Clan cats now. Tinypaw felt and saw every body near him stiffen.

"How can this be!" cried One-eye. "ShadowClan is strong, but WindClan are many – they have ruled the uplands for generations beyond counting! Why have they been chased out now?"

"I don't know the answer to that," Tigerstar replied. "After the death of Raggedstar it is known that ShadowClan has a new leader – Brokenstar gave no hint of any animosity towards WindClan or Tallstar at the last Gathering."

"Yellowfang would know!" snapped Darkstripe. "She _is_ ShadowClan, after all!"

"I am no traitor!" spat Yellowfang. Her eyes burned without fear. "I may no longer be part of ShadowClan, but nothing would make me reveal their secrets to a mange-bag like you!"

Darkstripe spat and moved forward, muscles tensed for a fight.

"Enough!" Tigerstar roared.

Darkstripe halted.

"This situation is too serious to be fighting amongst ourselves," Tigerstar called commandingly. "ThunderClan _must_ prepare itself – from this moonrise onward, warrior patrols will travel in larger groups, and other Clan members will remain close to camp. Patrols will cover the boundaries more frequently, and all kits must stay in the nursery."

Unified, the Clan nodded in agreement – though Tinypaw heard a groan from the nursery.

"Our need for warriors is even greater now," Tigerstar went on. "The training of all apprentices will be accelerated."

Dustpaw and Sandpaw exchanged thrilled glances. Ravenpaw shuffled on his paws, his eyes wide with anxiety. Graypaw was fluffed with excitement – but Tinypaw was looked at Bluefur, who had her back to him in the crowd. Accelerated training was good news – but only if he remained a member of ThunderClan.

"What of Tinypaw?" Bluefur called. "My apprentice was caught feeding this enemy warrior. What of his punishment?"

_She's leaving it up to Tigerstar,_ thought Tinypaw. He knew Bluefur wouldn't hesitate to punish him severely – leaving it up to Tigerstar left some hope of a gentler punishment.

"I have decided that Tinypaw will care for Yellowfang – he will hunt for her, treat her wounds, and care for her like he would any elder," Tigerstar announced. "Yellowfang will be staying here, with us – but we are not savages."

The thought of clearing away Yellowfang's dirt or grooming the she-cat made Tinypaw's fur curl. But he nodded and meowed, "Of course, Tigerstar."

"You'd better be good at cracking fleas!" mocked Dustpaw.

"And hunting!" chuckled Longtail. "She's nothing but a sack of bones!"

"Enough!" Tigerstar growled, and silence descended upon the Clan. "Tinypaw should find no shame in caring for Yellowfang. She is his elder, and like any elder she has a lot to teach us all. There is no humiliation in caring for a cat who cannot care for themselves."

Dustpaw and Longtail bit their tongues.

Yellowfang, below the Highrock, did not look pleased with the arrangement. She was glaring at Tinypaw, her eyes orange flames of fury.

_What a treat,_ Tinypaw thought sarcastically.

"This meeting is over – senior warriors, I would like to speak with you in my den privately," Tigerstar announced. He leaped off of the Highrock, and the meeting was done.

As the cats dispersed, Tinypaw was mockingly congratulated by his Clanmates. Some wished him luck, but others sniggered and joked. Tinypaw sighed.

"I knew you'd be nothing but trouble," growled Longtail. The silver tabby pushed past Tinypaw hurtfully, snapping over his shoulder, "After all – you're just a kittypet. It was only a matter of time before you broke the warrior code!"


	12. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"_I'd get going if I were _you," Sandpaw mewed dryly. She was padding away, heading for the apprentice's den. Dustpaw was just ahead, and gave no indication that he cared. "She doesn't seem happy."

_And neither do you,_ Tinypaw thought, watching her pad away. He wished there was something – anything – he could do to make her smile, but she never seemed happy when he was around, and Dustpaw was always at her side.

Tinypaw heaved a sigh, looking over at Yellowfang. The old she-cat was glaring at him, her eyes narrowed into slits of fury. "Here I go," Tinypaw breathed.

"You'll need all of StarClan by your side for this," Graypaw decided. "Call if you need me – I'll come up from behind and whack her on the head with a stiff rabbit before you can say 'mouse'!"

Tinypaw purred with amusement. Graypaw was always good for a joke. His amusement faded like mist in the sunshine as he approached Yellowfang.

She was clearly still in a terrible mood. Tinypaw didn't think any cat could get so irritated. She bared her teeth at him and growled, "Stop right where you are, _kittypet."_

Tinypaw sighed, rolling his eyes. He was getting extremely tired of Yellowfang's attitude, and his hunger and exhaustion was not helping with his patience. The urge to simply claw her face and be done with it was almost overpowering.

"Call me what you like," he said wearily. "You're still stuck here. I'm just following Tigerstar's orders."

Yellowfang's whiskers twitched. "You _are_ a kittypet though, no?" she wondered.

Tinypaw sighed. She seemed tired, too, but the power of her spite was like a blow from Bluefur during training, strong and stinging and relentless.

"I used to like with Twolegs when I was a kitten," Tinypaw told her calmly.

"Your mother a kittypet? Father?"

Tinypaw nodded. _Get on with it, already,_ he thought. What insult could she possibly come up with that he hadn't heard from Dustpaw, Longtail, or Darkstripe already? She was a prisoner – he didn't have to put up with this.

But Yellowfang saw his silence as an invitation. She crowed, "Kittypet blood isn't the same as warrior blood. Run home to your Twolegs, kittypet – it's humiliating being look after by a lowborn cat like _you."_

Tinypaw's patience ran out by the time she'd said _humiliating._ Curling his lip, he snapped, "And what makes me any worse than you? You'd feel humiliated if I were warrior-born! If I were your Clan leader, you'd feel humiliated about me looking after you." Lashing his tail from side to side, he growled, "You're so proud that you find the very _idea_ that you have to rely on _any_ cat but yourself humiliating!"

Yellowfang's eyes went wide on her flat face.

"Come off of your tree stump and get used to it," Tinypaw growled. "You're not fit enough to look after yourself, so be grateful that _someone_ is doing it for you, you spiteful old bone-bag!"

Yellowfang's face twisted, and she began making a harsh wheezing sound.

_Did I hurt her somehow?_ Tinypaw wondered, looking at her in shock. Some part of him – a very tiny, tired part – wondered if she might just have a fit and die.

"Look, I'm sorry," Tinypaw insisted. "It's been a long day, and -!"

It suddenly hit him that she was _laughing._

"You really are something!" Yellowfang purred, her flanks shaking. "What's a little cat like you doing with so much spunk?"

Tinypaw blinked at her, still stunned.

"Now, my leg hurts something fierce," Yellowfang said. She flexed her leg to demonstrate, and her face curled up with pain. "Did Bluefur teach you to bite and fight like that?"

Tinypaw nodded numbly.

"Well, you've got a good teacher," Yellowfang decided frankly. "She's always been a good fighter. Now, I need sleep and you need sleep, so be quick and go find that pretty medicine cat of yours. Ask her for a goldenrod poultice, and some poppy seeds for the pain. Then you can run off and sleep."

Tinypaw nodded, still stunned by her sudden mood change. He turned away from her and padded across the camp, heading for Spottedleaf's den.

It occurred to him that he had never been in this part of the camp before. Tinypaw pushed through the cool ferns and entered into a strange place – a small grassy clearing, with a tall, split rock to the side. The hole was big enough for some cat to make their den, and the whole air smelled of flowers and herbs.

From the split in the rock came Spottedleaf, her amber eyes glowing patiently.

Tinypaw dipped his head respectfully, and then listed off Yellowfang's requests.

"I've got those in my den," Spottedleaf meowed in reply. "I'll give her some marigold leaves, too – if she dresses her wound with them they'll stave off infection. Wait here a moment." She turned and headed back into the split rock.

"Thanks," Tinypaw called after her.

Spottedleaf reappeared a moment later, a leaf packet in her mouth. It smelled fragrant, and when she set it down Tinypaw was shocked that the leaf didn't unfurl. Spottedleaf's deft paws had tied the wrap tight.

"I ask that you tell Yellowfang to go easy on the poppy seeds," Spottedleaf requested. "A little pain is fine, but if she deadens it completely I won't be able to tell how well she's healing. The rest of what you asked for is inside, and if Yellowfang cannot chew the poultice you'll have to do it for her."

Tinypaw grimaced at the thought of chewing the sharp-smelling herbs.

"Thanks," he said again, before picking up the leaf-wrapped bundle.

He pushed his way through the ferns, flicking his tail in farewell. He had a feeling that he would be in that den more and more often now that Yellowfang was in his care.

As Tinypaw padded into the clearing, he could feel Bluefur's eyes on him. He glanced back, over his shoulder, at her to find that her blue eyes were cool and clear. Still, something about the way she was looking at him made Tinypaw scurry to Yellowfang without looking back.

He gently put the bundle by Yellowfang's paws.

"Good," Yellowfang decided, opening it. She sniffed the herbs and then said with an irritated tone, "I can handle it from here – go get me something to wash this down with! I'm starving!"

* * *

Tinypaw woke to his third sunrise taking care of Yellowfang. He could feel the still bodies of Graypaw and Ravenpaw beside him, and hear the snores of Dustpaw and Sandpaw as they slept on the other side of the den. Without waking his friends, Tinypaw slipped out of the den.

He turned back, gently laying a paw on Graypaw's shoulder. A gentle nudge was enough to get Graypaw to peek one amber eye open.

"Hurry up; you'll be late for training," Tinypaw whispered.

Graypaw nodded and yawned, uncurling in his nest to stretch. Tinypaw turned to Ravenpaw and did the same.

"Wake up, Ravenpaw – time for training," he murmured.

Ravenpaw's eyes opened immediately, wide as the sun. His fur was bristling and he panted, "What is it?"

"It's just me," Tinypaw insisted. "It's time for training."

Ravenpaw shivered and curled back into a ball, eyes like yellow disks. Sandpaw and Dustpaw were beginning to stir, but Tinypaw never saw the need to wake them. They were always up on time.

The morning was warm, but the hint of cool in the air told Tinypaw that greenleaf was going to be over soon. He tasted the air, smelling the scents of ThunderClan and nature as it swirled about him in the air. When leaf-fall came, things would start getting colder and redder, until finally the snows of leaf-bare closed in around them.

Tinypaw decided to enjoy the morning. He rolled onto his back and pressed his body against the warm grass, feeling the dampness cling to his pelt and wash away the smells of the moss in his den. He rubbed his body against the ground, paws in the air practicing swiping techniques at the clouds.

He flipped onto his side and glanced over at the other side of the camp. There , Yellowfang had been given a nest pressed up against the other side of the elder's den. There she could be easily seen by both warriors and apprentices, but she was comfortable and out of hearing of the elders. He could see her gray fur rising and falling in sleep.

"Morning," Graypaw offered as he pushed his way out of the den. Sandpaw and Dustpaw followed, settling near the fallen log to groom the moss out of one another's fur. Ravenpaw tottered out last, his eyes shifting from side to side before he joined Graypaw and Tinypaw.

"Boy am I glad I don't have to miss training," Dustpaw crowd loudly. "I can't imagine going _days_ without it! Can you, Sandpaw?"

Tinypaw narrowed his eyes at him. He wasn't about to let Dustpaw get to him, not when he was feeling so good about the day. Sandpaw rolled her eyes and gave Dustpaw a nudge.

"Don't worry," Graypaw murmured. "I'm sure Bluefur will have you training again soon."

"Maybe she finally realized that a _kittypet_ is more useful tending to the sick than they are playing warrior," Dustpaw sneered.

Tinypaw bristled, but he glanced at Sandpaw. "What is Whitestorm teaching you today, Sandpaw?" he asked.

Sandpaw looked away from him, grooming her chest fur with confident licks. Between laps, she answered, "Some more battle training. Whitestorm is teaching me how a real warrior fights."

"Well, good luck!" Tinypaw offered. "And watch your tail."

Sandpaw tipped her head, confusion in her green eyes. She shook her sleek head and looked away from him, muttering.

"Lionheart is taking me climbing," Graypaw said. "He's going to help me get up the Great Sycamore!"

"You'd better go then," Tinypaw said. "He'll be waiting."

Graypaw got off of his paws and stretched once more. Tinypaw got up too, and offered, "I'll come with you as far as the ravine – I've got to get some hunting done for Yellowfang."

"Awesome!" Graypaw purred.

Tinypaw glanced at Ravenpaw. "What about you?" he asked. "Is Tigerstar training you today?"

"He's coming with _me,"_ Dustpaw growled. "Tigerstar had something important to do today, so he pinned Ravenpaw on me and Darkstripe."

Ravenpaw flattened his ears and got up onto his spindly legs. Tinypaw couldn't help but notice that though Ravenpaw's wound had long since healed, he still had little enthusiasm for warrior training – or much of anything, really. Something was bothering the tom, but Tinypaw knew better than to bother asking. Ravenpaw was more jittery than a bird.

Tinypaw sighed and followed Graypaw and Ravenpaw out of camp, the warm sun on his back. Whatever it was that was bothering Ravenpaw, it was his responsibility if he wanted to tell someone.

* * *

"Here," Tinypaw offered, throwing a chaffinch at Yellowfang's paws.

"About time," Yellowfang sighed. She brought the chaffinch closer and began crunching away immediately.

Tinypaw rolled his eyes. Though she was grumpy and irritated, the smell of the fresh-kill must have woken her. Sleep was still in her voice when she growled, but sleep did not deter her temper. Or her appetite, which had grown fierce since she'd come to ThunderClan.

She finished her meal and swiped her tongue across her lips. Then, she complained, "The base of my tail itches with fury – go over it for fleas, will you?"

Tinypaw shuddered inwardly as he got into position.

He found a flea immediately, and he cracked it between his teeth. Using his paws, he parted her fur for more, his mind drifting and the sounds of the camp relaxing his body – he could hear a group of kits tumbling out of the nursery, mewling and screeching as they played in the clearing.

They were Frostfur's bunch – four cute, healthy kits that looked like they were getting too big for the nursery. One of the kittens, a fluffy gray she-cat, leaped onto the squirming bodies of her three brothers – two with golden brown pelts, and one with black patches.

He was shocked to find that Yellowfang's spine had stiffened beneath his teeth. He lifted his head and saw that she was watching the kits, one eye open. Her expression was pained.

Confused, Tinypaw angled his ears towards the squeaking of the kits.

"Feel my teeth, Brokenstar!" the gray she-cat squealed.

The kit leaped onto her black-and-white brother, and the two began tussling. Her other two brothers joined in, and suddenly the clearing was full of kits as they mauled and play-fought. The gray kitten and her black-and-white brother bundled towards the Highrock, where suddenly the little kitten was flung towards Yellowfang and Tinypaw.

She landed up against Yellowfang's nest, and Tinypaw had to move before his nose was broken by the speed at which Yellowfang rose.

Bristling, the old she-cat hissed, "Get away from me, you helpless scrap!"

Terrified, the little kit let out a cry and dashed back to the nursery. Frostfur collected all her kits with a call, and as she pushed them into the nursery her dark blue eyes narrowed at Yellowfang with hurt.

Tinypaw was shocked. He'd honestly thought he'd seen Yellowfang at her most upset – but this was a whole new rage burning in the old cat.

Yellowfang settled herself back into her nest with a hiss, and curled herself up tight.

"I… I think the kits are getting restless," Tinypaw offered. "Being cooped up in camp is getting on their nerves."

"I don't care how restless they are!" Yellowfang hissed. "Just keep them away from me!"

"Do you not like kits?" Tinypaw wondered carefully. "Did you not have kits of your own?"

"Fool," Yellowfang spat. "Medicine cats don't have kits. Not allowed, against the rules!"

"You were a warrior before that, weren't you?"

"I have no kits!" Yellowfang snapped. She snatched her tail away from him and then went on, her voice subdued, "Anyway… kits… bad things tend to happen to kits when they're around me."

Thoroughly confused, Tinypaw went back to work on Yellowfang. Her mood swings were rapid and had a wide range, though he'd never seen her seem so solemn and wistful. He managed to get most of her fleas, but there were a few stubborn ones that just didn't seem to want to come out.

When he told her this, Yellowfang snapped, "I should hope you're not trying to pull them out! I don't want tick heads embedded in my rear, thank you very much! Ask Spottedleaf for some mouse bile –a splash of that and they'll come right out."

"I'll go now," Tinypaw offered, grateful for any gateway he could find to get away from the cranky she-cat – he'd rather be around sweet Spottedleaf for a moment to clear his head.

As he padded to Spottedleaf's den, the camp was active and alive. Tigerstar's announcement three days ago had sparked something in the Clan, and even the elders were going to work to fortify the camp walls and create a food store just in case ShadowClan attacked.

Tinypaw dodged Willowpelt as the queen walked by, dragging half a bush behind her. He paused to watch her take it to the nursery, where Brindleface and Goldenflower helped her weave the branches into the nursery walls. Even the kits seemed happy to help, stuffing leaves into the gaps.

Not even the borders were left unguarded – a patrol waited patiently by the camp entrance, and when Runningwind and his patrol returned there was only time for a few quick words before Mosuefur led her patrol out of camp.

The Clan seemed more united under the threat of ShadowClan… and whether the attack came or didn't, ThunderClan would not be caught unprepared. They would not be driven out as WindClan had.

_Neither will I,_ Tinypaw thought. _I'll fight my hardest for all of you!_

Tinypaw continued on to Spottedleaf's den, grateful for the shade her little corner of camp provided. Inside, Spottedleaf was sitting before piles of herbs, arranging them into piles with her small, dainty paws.

"Can I have something for Yellowfang's ticks?" Tinypaw asked. "She said mouse bile would do the trick."

"Indeed it will!" Spottedleaf chirped. "One moment, please."

Tinypaw padded up to sit beside her, watching intently as she arranged the herbs delicately with a claw. He was awed at her knowledge – he looked at these leaves and saw nothing but leaves. Spottedleaf looked at these leaves and knew what every single one of them could do to heal her Clanmates.

"Busy?" he asked.

"I want to be prepared," Spottedleaf said, worry in her tone. "An attack can come at any moment."

Tinypaw felt an uncomfortable feeling prickling in his pelt. Something about cats other than Bluefur saying that seemed wrong.

He only had to wait a few moments more. When Spottedleaf was done she rose, stretched, and then said, "Right. Mouse bile, yes?"

Tinypaw nodded. "Please," he offered.

She bounded into her den. After a moment, she reappeared, a long stick in her mouth. Clinging to the end was a ball of moss soaked with something that smelled fouler than dirt. Tinypaw curled his nose as she passed the stick to him.

"This moss is soaked in bile," she explained. "Don't get any in your mouth, or everything will taste foul for days. Don't get any in your eyes, either – I don't suppose you're partial to swimming! Press it onto the ticks and then wash your paws – in a stream, not with your tongue! Understand?"

Tinypaw nodded, careful not to dislodge the moss. He waved his tail in gratitude and then padded out to see Yellowfang.

* * *

"And… there!" Tinypaw declared. The last tick shuddered and fell off of Yellowfang's spine.

She let out a sigh of relief. Then, she offered, "You might as well clean out my nest now that you're paws are nothing short of foul! I'm taking a nap."

Tinypaw rolled his eyes as she yawned, revealing her broken, blackened teeth. At least her breath smelled better. With her thick coat, Tinypaw was not shocked that the warmth of the day was sending her to sleep.

"You can go do whatever apprentices do afterward," she decided sleepily, laying her head on her paws.

By the time Tinypaw was done clearing away Yellowfang's dirty moss, he was keen to get to the nearest stream and roll in it until he felt clean again. He was padding towards the gorse tunnel when Halftail caught up to him.

"Where are you off to, youngster?" the elder asked. "You ought to be helping fortify the camp!"

"I've been putting mouse bile on Yellowfang's ticks all morning," Tinypaw explained.

Amusement made Halftail twitch his whiskers. "Off to the nearest stream, then?" he figured. Tinypaw nodded. Halftail gave him a nudge and said encouragingly, "Well, bring back some prey! We need all we can get."

"Of course, Halftail," Tinypaw replied.

Tinypaw made his way out of camp, heading for the nearest stream – the one he had met Yellowfang near. Leaping into the cool water did nothing but help, and Tinypaw sighed as cool droplets spattered onto his fur. He rubbed his paws against the smooth bed of the stream, hoping to rid himself of the nasty mouse bile.

A familiar scent drifted into his nose, and the bushes rustled. It was Graypaw and Ravenpaw, and when they emerged from the undergrowth their expressions would have convinced Tinypaw himself that he was mad.

"What are you _doing?"_ Graypaw asked. Ravenpaw's whiskers were twitching with amusement.

"Yellowfang and mouse bile," Tinypaw offered. "Don't ask. Where are Lionheart and Darkstripe?"

"They went to join the next patrol," Ravenpaw meowed. "They ordered us to spend the afternoon hunting."

"Halftail said as much, too," Tinypaw said. He padded out of the stream, flicking his paws dry one at a time. "Everyone's so busy back at camp… like we're going to be attacked at any minute!"

"Who says we won't?" Ravenpaw said worriedly, eyes flicking from side to side.

Tinypaw opened his jaws. He could just about smell the fresh-kill that Graypaw and Ravenpaw already had piled up, and it smelled impressive. "You two have done all right, from the smell of it," he meowed.

"All this heat's bringing out the prey," Graypaw told him. "There's still plenty more, if you want in."

"Of course I do!" Tinypaw chuckled. He gave himself a final shake, and then said, "Let's go!"

* * *

Tinypaw, Ravenpaw, and Graypaw were welcomed back to camp with purrs and friendly nuzzles. The amount of prey they had brought back was nothing short of impressive – four trips is what it took to bring back their catch to the storage hole the elders had dug.

Lionheart, Darkstripe, and Bluefur had just returned from their patrol. Darkstripe curled his lip and trotted off, but Lionheart and Bluefur approached. Pride glittered in Lionheart's eyes as he touched his nose to Graypaw's forehead.

"Well done, you three!" he purred. "The store is almost full, and look how much more is left! Put that lot on the fresh-kill pile… and take some back for yourselves – you deserve a feast!"

Tinypaw glanced at Bluefur, and the queen nodded. She looked tired, and her pawsteps seemed weighted and heavy as she followed Lionheart back towards the warrior's den. Oakheart greeted her with an affectionate nuzzle.

Tails high, the apprentices purred together as one.

"Don't neglect Yellowfang!" warned Halftail. He was patting earth over the store with Smallear.

Tinypaw nodded – he wouldn't; but he was starving, and he wanted some time for himself and his friends.

They dropped the last of their catch onto the fresh-kill pile and took a hearty share for themselves before heading to the stump to eat. The den was empty.

"Where are Sandpaw and Dustpaw?" Tinypaw asked.

"Probably hunting themselves," Ravenpaw meowed.

"Peace and quiet, then," Graypaw purred. "Perfect!"

"Oh come on," Tinypaw sighed, "Dustpaw is a pain, but Sandpaw's not so bad."

Ravenpaw and Graypaw exchanged a glance. Then, Graypaw leered at Tinypaw with narrow eyes and twitching whiskers. "Sounds like some cat has a crush!" he teased.

"I do not!" Tinypaw snapped back. His fur burned with embarrassment. A crush? On _Sandpaw?_ All he wanted was to be her friend! To be accepted!

"Yeah, sure," Ravenpaw chuckled. "Watch yourself with that one, Tinypaw – she'll scratch your ear off."

Tinypaw flattened his ears, fuming.

"Oh, we're just _joking_ with you!" Graypaw scoffed, cuffing him around the ear. "So serious! We're too young for stuff like that."

Tinypaw rolled his eyes and parted his share away from the rest, hoping that if he distracted himself the tingling in his fur might go away.

"But hey – guess what! Ravenpaw managed to do something _awesome!"_ Graypaw purred. "He got Bluefur's attention – and a compliment from that tough cat!"

"What'd you do, fly?" Tinypaw asked. He knew first-hand how hard it was to get a compliment out of Bluefur, and he was her apprentice!

Ravenpaw shook his head bashfully. "I… I caught a crow," he stammered.

"That's great!" Tinypaw assured him.

"It was _big!"_ Graypaw insisted, using his paws for measurement. Tinypaw's whiskers twitched, and he was unsure how a crow could get so big.

"It was _old,_ too," Ravenpaw pointed out.

Graypaw rolled his eyes. "Don't sell yourself short, Ravenpaw – Bluefur's been in a mood ever since Lionheart was made deputy!"

_She has?_ Tinypaw thought. _I hadn't noticed._ Of course, Bluefur became his mentor just as Lionheart became deputy of the Clan. He didn't know her well enough to know how she had been before that.

"She's just worried about ShadowClan, like we all are," Ravenpaw insisted. "Just… stay out of her way."

A loud, piercing yowl sounded from the edge of the clearing. Tinypaw stood up straight, shivering.

"Oh no," he moaned, "I forgot about Yellowfang!"

"Don't worry, I'll take her something," Graypaw offered.

Tinypaw shook his head. "I couldn't let you do that," he said. "It's my job."

"Nah," Graypaw scoffed. Before Tinypaw could protest any more, Graypaw got to his paws. "I'll be there and back, quick as a flash!"

Tinypaw sighed, unable to deter Graypaw – and frankly, he didn't want to. A break from Yellowfang sounded better than bathing in that stream. Tinypaw watched as Graypaw trotted to the fresh-kill pile.

Confidently, Graypaw picked up three of the juiciest looking mice from the pile. He took three steps towards Yellowfang before he was caught by Oakheart. The bracken-colored tom slunk up to the fresh-kill pile, an amused expression on his face.

"So Graypaw," he purred, "where are you taking those mice?"

_Well, there goes that,_ Tinypaw sighed.

Graypaw set down the mice to reply. "Uh…"

"Have you gotten it into your head to help Tinypaw with a task that Tigerstar assigned to _him_ and _only him?"_ Oakheart wondered slyly.

"I, er…"

"I'll tell you what," Oakheart chuckled. He placed a paw on the three mice. "I'll take these back for Bluefur, Lionheart, and I to share. We're still a little hungry, and Bluefur has an appetite like a badger. I'll take these… and we can forget about this little encounter, eh?"

Graypaw swallowed uncomfortably. He had no choice but to stammer, "Uh… uh sure…"

Oakheart nodded, smiling, and then threw an accusatory glance at Tinypaw. The warrior's smile faded utterly, and his expression was that of an order: _Get over there and feed Yellowfang._

"I'm sorry," Graypaw whispered.

"It's all right," Tinypaw whispered back. Belly full and weary, Tinypaw pushed himself up. "At least he didn't make you _eat_ them all."

Graypaw groaned at the thought and burped uncomfortably.

Tinypaw sighed. An angry yowl from Yellowfang broke into his thoughts and he sprinted across the camp to get the irritable old she-cat her share.


	13. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_Tinypaw woke to the sounds of _a dripping, rain-soaked forest. From the smell of water in the air and the feel of the grass, Tinypaw guessed it must have rained sometime in the night. It felt good on his paws compared to the heat of the past few days, and he relished the feeling of the damp leaves on his back as he slid out of the apprentice's den.

He shook out his fur, droplets spinning from his pelt as it fluffed itself dry. Once he was settled with his pelt, he padded over to Yellowfang. Despite the damp night, Tinypaw surprisingly slept well – though he knew that cats with thicker fur like Graypaw would be complaining of the wetness soon enough.

Yellowfang had just begun to stir as Tinypaw approached. Her pelt was damp and bristling, and when she lifted her head her eyes were nothing short of irritated.

"My bones are aching," she complained. She stretched her oddly-flat muzzle in a yawn. "How long as it been raining?"

"Most of the night," Tinypaw replied.

He prodded her bedding with one paw, and then curled his lip – soaking wet! She'd catch a chill sleeping in this stuff.

"Why don't you move your nest closer to the nursery?" Tinypaw suggested. "It's less wet there."

Yellowfang curled her lip. "I'd rather wake with aching bones and a soaked pelt than be badgered by mewling kits all night," she growled.

She got herself up and circled in the nest. Tinypaw could see just how stiff and hurt her movements were, and he frowned at her petty stubbornness. He realized that it was partially his own fault – he knew that kits were a touchy subject for the old she-cat.

"At least let me get you fresh bedding, then," he offered.

Yellowfang settled herself down with huff. "Thank you," she grumbled quietly.

Tinypaw blinked at the old she-cat in shock – that was the first time she'd honestly thanked him without calling him some name or another. He couldn't' help but feel the need to ask if she was feeling all right.

"Oh, go!" Yellowfang snapped crankily. "Get on with the moss, will you?"

Tinypaw's whiskers twitched. _There_ was the Yellowfang he knew.

He met with Speckletail, an elderly queen, on his way to fetching Yellowfang's moss. The tabby was the eldest queen, and fiercely protective of the kits in the nursery. He couldn't help but wonder if she knew about what had happened between Yellowfang and Frostfur's kits the other day.

"Hello, Speckletail," Tinypaw greeted with a respectful dip of his head. "Are… are you going to see Yellowfang?" Maybe if she was warming up to Tinypaw, there were other cats who were wanting to get to know Yellowfang too. Maybe a friend was all she needed to unravel her stubbornness.

Speckletail curled her lip. "What would I want with _her?"_ she growled. Tinypaw flicked an ear – so she was upset, and she had heard. Oh well. "I was looking for you, actually. Tigerstar wants to see you."

_Tigerstar?_ Tinypaw wondered. "What for?" he asked.

Speckletail shrugged, then carried on towards the nursery.

Tinypaw blinked, curious, and then headed off towards the bottom of the Highrock. Tigerstar was waiting there, sharing tongues with Oakheart.

"Are you sure Bluefur should be training today?" Oakheart was mewing, mostly under his breath. "She's not been herself lately."

"I'll ask that she see Spottedleaf after today's session," Tigerstar promised.

Oakheart purred. "I'm sure she'd listen to you, at least!"

Tigerstar's ears pricked at Tinypaw's approach, and the conversation ended. Oakheart pushed himself up, but didn't leave. Tigerstar shook out his pelt, and then asked, "How is Yellowfang doing, Tinypaw?"

"Good," Tinypaw answered, "but her bedding is wet. I was just going to fetch her dry moss."

"One of the queens can see to that," Tigerstar told him. He nodded to Oakheart, and the bracken-colored tom took off towards the nursery. Tigerstar refocused his gaze onto Tinypaw. "Do you think she can hunt for herself yet?"

Tinypaw shifted on his paws. "She can walk well enough, but I don't think she can hunt."

Tigerstar frowned at that. He licked one massive paw and then drew it over his head, thoughtful. Then, he said, "It's time you return to your training, Tinypaw – it's been neglected for too long."

Tinypaw's ears pricked. "R-Really? That's great!" Remembering his manners, he dipped his head and said, "Sorry… thank you, Tigerstar."

Tigerstar's amber eyes glimmered.

"You'll go with Graypaw and Ravenpaw this morning," Tigerstar decided. "I've asked that Bluefur assess the warrior skills of you apprentices, and she mentioned including you."

"Does… that mean my punishment is over?" Tinypaw wondered.

Tigerstar blinked. "Not quite," he mewed. "Yellowfang responds well to you – I ask that you still look in on her daily. If things go well, though, then you won't be seeing to her feeding or bedding anymore."

Tinypaw purred, "Thank you, Tigerstar."

"Get going now," Tigerstar told him dismissively. "Join your friends. They're waiting for you, I expect."

* * *

Tigerstar was right – Tinypaw did find Graypaw and Ravenpaw waiting for him in the damp sandy hollow. Graypaw was grooming himself furiously, upset at his thick pelt. Ravenpaw was pacing the hollow, and Tinypaw expected that he'd been at it for a while – there was a path driven deep into the hollow's edge about the size of Ravenpaw's stride.

_What is _up_ with him lately?_ Tinypaw wondered.

"Stupid rain!" Graypaw complained. "I thought the running might warm me up but it didn't help at all!"

"It helped me," Tinypaw mewed.

Graypaw's ears pricked. "Tinypaw!" he cheered.

Ravenpaw stopped pacing, one paw lifted mid-stride. "Oh," he commented. "You're joining us today?"

Tinypaw nodded. "Tigerstar gave me the morning off," he replied. "So… we're being assessed? Where's Bluefur?"

"On her way, I expect," Ravenpaw muttered. He continued pacing, his white tail-tip flicking worriedly to and fro.

"What about Dustpaw and Sandpaw?" Tinypaw wondered. "Are they being assessed today, too?"

Graypaw shook his head. "Whitestorm and Darkstripe took them on a patrol. Bluefur might look in on them later," he replied.

Tinypaw's eyes followed Ravenpaw round the hollow. "Why are you so worried?" he asked. "Tigerstar is your mentor – it shouldn't be hard to impress Bluefur. I'm the one that ought to be worried about impressing Bluefur!"

Ravenpaw frowned and said nothing.

Tinypaw glanced at Graypaw, who only shrugged.

By the time Bluefur arrived, the sky had gone from a cloudy gray to a sunny blue. Clouds, white and fluffy, drifted lazily on a surprisingly chilly breeze that chased away the damp morning. Tinypaw was grateful for the weather change – the scents would be much fresher and easier to track without the rain. Though, he wasn't looking forward to the cold of leaf-fall that the breeze promised.

"Lionheart and I have been spending the last few moons teaching you all how to hunt like warriors," Bluefur announced when she arrived. "Today you have the chance to prove yourselves and show us what you've learned. What you catch today will be added to the stores in camp."

Tinypaw was listening, but he couldn't help but recall what Oakheart and Tigerstar had been talking about before Tinypaw was ordered to come to the hollow. Bluefur didn't _look_ any different… was she sick or something? What was Oakheart worried about?

"You'll each take a different route through the woods," Bluefur went on, breaking Tinypaw out of his thoughts. "Ravenpaw – quit your pacing and get over here!"

Ravenpaw was hesitant to stop, but he joined Tinypaw and Graypaw anyway. His paws were muddied and his expression was downcast. He didn't look Bluefur in the eye.

"Since you seem eager to stretch your legs, you'll be heading to Snakerocks for your assessment," Bluefur meowed.

_Ravenpaw will have to be careful,_ Tinypaw thought. _Adders make Snakerocks their home._

"Graypaw," she went on, "you will be taking the route along the stream, towards the Thunderpath."

"Great," Graypaw complained under his breath. "Wet paws for me!"

Bluefur ignored him. "Finally, you, Tinypaw," she meowed. Her blue eyes were level with Tinypaw's. "I'm glad that you were able to join us today – I hope you remember what you've learned. You'll be taking the route through Tallpines, past the Treecutplace and to the woods beyond."

Tinypaw nodded.

"I'll be watching you," Bluefur warned. "Make each catch count."

She turned away and left the hollow.

"Snakerocks!" gasped Graypaw, when Bluefur was gone. "That's not going to be easy."

"Yeah," Tinypaw mewed. "Be careful, Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw only blinked at them. "I… I'll be fine," he muttered. Then, he turned and sprinted away.

"Is it just me or has he been acting stranger and stranger lately?" Tinypaw wondered.

Graypaw shrugged. "That's Ravenpaw for you, I guess," he mewed. The gray tom stretched himself out before getting to his paws. "We ought to get going – we don't have all day!"

"Good luck," Tinypaw offered.

"You too!" Graypaw purred, before heading off towards the stream.

Tinypaw yawned, and then decided that he ought to get going, too. He headed off into the woods, his paws taking him towards the Tallpines.

* * *

As he walked through the forest, he had to admit that it was strange coming this way on his own. The Twolegplace wasn't far from Tallpines, and really it wouldn't take that long for him to make his way to his old home. Casually, his thoughts drifted to Rusty, Smudge, and his other old kittypet friends. How were they doing? Did they think he was dead?

A mouse took him away from his thoughts. It was scrabbling for a seed, too distracted to spot Tinypaw. Dropping low, Tinypaw crept forward in a well-practiced crouch. The mouse was his with a leap and a bite, and soon enough Tinypaw had buried it and was on his way again.

Tinypaw trekked further into Tallpines, avoiding the muddy trenches dug up by the Treecutplace's monsters. He wrinkled his nose at their stench – it was stale, but they would pass this way again before greenleaf was done. He was thankful that they weren't here now.

He was briefly tempted to drink the water that had collected in the muddy ruts – but he knew better. One lap, and his mouth would taste foul for days. There would probably be a rainwater puddle past Tallpines, one that wasn't tainted by monster stink.

Tinypaw passed through Tallpines and was back in the oak woods he felt so comfortable in. A small puddle greeted him, and Tinypaw took a lap. It was fresh and tasted of the woods, better than any bitter, tinny Twoleg water.

_I know I'm close to my old home, _Tinypaw thought. _But I shouldn't be thinking of them so much! It's going to distract me._

He ignored the sounds and smells of his old home. Though they called to him, he knew that Bluefur was watching – she wouldn't be pleased at all that he was thinking of the Twolegplace.

_It's my _old_ home,_ he thought. _I'm a ThunderClan cat now._

Just ahead, Tinypaw caught a whiff of Twoleg stench. He quickly slipped into the bushes, pressing close to the ground and keeping his mouth shut. Beyond was a group of young Twolegs in brightly-colored pelts. He narrowed his eyes – their raucous sounds and silly movements were scaring the prey!

They didn't seem to be moving closer to Tinypaw, though, so he skirted them and changed directions. He kept himself alert and watchful – not only could those Twolegs be nearby, but Bluefur could be too. This was a _warrior_ assessment, after all, and it was possible that she wasn't planning on assessing just his hunting skills.

_An attack can come from anywhere,_ Tinypaw thought.

A twig snapped just then. Tinypaw's ears shot up, and he unsheathed his claws. Was it Bluefur?

Form the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of movement. Not the blue-gray of Bluefur, though – this streak was white. He took a deep breath of the smell – cat, but not any he recognized right away. This cat was not a Clan cat.

His fur bristled. He was a Clan warrior – and he would not hesitate to chase strangers out of his territory!

Tinypaw positioned himself just in the path of the lumbering stranger, poised to strike. The black-and-white cat lumbered nearer, and Tinypaw sensed that it was a tom. Their fur looked soft and well-kept, and they were plumper and rounder than the cats that Tinypaw called his Clanmates. A collar was pressed tight against the tom's throat – a kittypet.

He let himself have one more heartbeat – and then he leaped.

The black-and-white cat gave a terrified screech before barreling past Tinypaw and into the undergrowth. Tinypaw let out a ferocious growl and gave chased, catching up with the lumbering cat easily. _So soft! _He thought scornfully. _So slow!_

It took a single bound to leap onto the tom's back. Tinypaw dug his claws in, and the black-and-white kittypet let out another terrified screech. He struggled helplessly beneath Tinypaw, his fear-scent almost choking the apprentice.

Finally, Tinypaw figured he had enough of a warning. He leaped off of the kittypet and let out a hiss. "Get _out_ of my territory!" he snarled.

Suddenly, the cat's appearance struck a chord within Tinypaw. The round head, the soft black-and-white coat…

"Smudge!" he called.

The black-and-white cat let out a terrified moan. "D-Don't hurt me!" he pleaded. "I-I'll go! I'll go!"

"Wait, Smudge," Tinypaw insisted. "It's me! It's… It's Shoe!" It had taken a moment to recall his kittypet name.

Smudge's fur fell. "S-Shoe?" he murmured. "Could… could it really be you?"

Tinypaw nodded.

Smudge's eyes flashed with recognition.

"Shoe!" he cheered. "Oh, thank anything and everything! I thought I was a goner for sure!"

Tinypaw flicked an ear. "I'm called Tinypaw now," he told Smudge.

Smudge's eyes went wide. "So the wildcats _didn't_ eat you?" Smudge breathed. "I thought Rusty was just pulling my tail!"

"Rusty?" Tinypaw's heart beat accelerated at the mention of his half-brother. "H-How is he?"

"He comes and goes – you know Rusty," Smudge mewed. "He misses you something fierce. Said he scented you around the other day, and that he was glad you were OK. Got himself a mate, he does."

Tinypaw's ears pricked. "A mate?" he mewed, whiskers twitching. "I didn't think he would ever choose!"

"Neither did anyone else," Smudge chuckled. "But she's a looker! Cloud-white fur, big blue eyes – just his type."

"Wow," Tinypaw murmured. He sat down. His brother – with a mate? Somehow, he'd never imagined it – he always liked the she-cats chasing him. But he couldn't help but be happy for Rusty, and his mate.

"I'll have to tell him I saw you," Smudge purred. "You're scrawny, but you're alive! Seriously – what do you eat out here?"

"Mice, squirrels, birds," Tinypaw mewed. "I have this whole forest for food."

Smudge curled his lip. "Sounds like a lot of fur and feathers," he admitted. "But this is the life you wanted – not the one I wanted. I'm glad you're happy, Tinypaw."

"You seem happy too," Tinypaw agreed.

Smudge glanced anxiously towards the Twolegplace, beyond the trees. "I ought to go," he meowed. "My housefolk will be looking for me. Take care, Tinypaw – you and that Clan both."

"And you take care," Tinypaw offered. He padded forward and gave his kithood friend a lick between the ears. "Not all Clan cats have a soft spot for kittypets like I do."

"I'm glad you've found yourself," Smudge mewed, purring affectionately. "Everyone will be happy to know that you're all right."

Tinypaw nodded. Smudge turned and loped away, and Tinypaw watched to make sure that the white tip of Smudge's tail disappeared into the bushes.

Heart warm, Tinypaw turned around and faced the woods – his home. _I'll look for a bird or two here, and then catch a squirrel on my way back,_ Tinypaw thought. Seeing what he might have become had he stayed – a soft, rotund kittypet – made him feel all the more eager to pass this assessment.

He stalked his way back through the pines. _I just need to impress Bluefur and Tigerstar. Then today will be perfect!_


	14. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Tinypaw padded back into the hollow_ with a chaffinch firmly in his jaws. Bluefur was there, the sun rippling off of her blue-gray pelt. Her blue eyes were narrowed as he placed his catch just before her.

"You're the first back," she mewed, quietly.

"Yeah, but I've got loads more to bring -"

"I know," Bluefur meowed, interrupting him. "I was watching all of you."

The undergrowth swished, and Graypaw lumbered forward. He had a squirrel in his jaws, and he spat it out by Tinypaw's chaffinch. He sat on his haunches.

"Ugh," he complained. "I'm going to be picking squirrel hair out of my teeth for the rest of the day."

Bluefur paid no attention to Graypaw. She looked up at the sky, and then down at the bushes. "Ravenpaw is late," she stated.

"Hopefully he didn't get bitten by an adder," Tinypaw said.

"If he did, then it was his own fault," Bluefur decided. "There is no room for those who cannot pay attention to their surroundings in ThunderClan. We'll wait a few more moments for him and then return to camp."

Tinypaw glanced worriedly at Graypaw, but the other apprentice shrugged his fluffy gray shoulders. Ravenpaw was Ravenpaw, and he went into Snakerocks knowing the risks.

It didn't take long for Ravenpaw to appear – Graypaw was the first to scent him. Tinypaw turned towards Snakerocks, finding Ravenpaw pushing his way through the undergrowth. In his jaws was the long, patterned body of an adder.

"Wow!" Tinypaw gasped.

"Did it bite you?" Graypaw asked, his yellow eyes flashing with worry.

Ravenpaw set it down. For once, he looked proud of himself. "I was too quick for it!" he purred. He made the mistake of looking at Bluefur – his purr died in his throat.

"Let's collect the rest of your prey and then head back," Bluefur mewed. "Come."

* * *

They ventured into camp feeling more than proud of their accomplishment. Even though Ravenpaw was tripping over his adder, he still got wide, admiring eyes from their Clanmates as they strolled into camp. His catch dangling from his mouth, Tinypaw followed behind Bluefur as she led the way.

A group of kits – the very same that Yellowfang had snapped at – bundled out of the nursery to see the commotion. Frostfur watched them with anxious eyes, especially when she caught sight of the snake in Ravenpaw's jaws.

"Wow!" called the fluffy gray she-kit. "The apprentices are back!"

Her brothers crashed all around her, their eyes wide with admiration.

"There's the kittypet, Tinypaw!" breathed one of the golden-brown tabbies. "I hear he's as good a hunter as Sandpaw!"

"Please!" scoffed his identical brother. _"No_ cat can hunt better than Sandpaw!"

"Besides," the black-and-white tom said, "he's _Bluefur's_ apprentice. Every cat knows that Bluefur is the strongest warrior in the Clan!"

"No way!" retorted one of the golden brown toms. "Lionheart and Whitestorm are stronger!"

"Prove it!" the black-and-white kit jeered.

"Kits!" Frostfur trilled. "Stop that fighting right now. Come back here!"

Tinypaw purred behind his catch. He couldn't help but feel warmed by the kits' admiring compliments. It seemed like the Clan was finally starting to accept him as one of their own, and that made him feel better than any amount of prey he could bring in.

He followed his friends to the center of the clearing. Bluefur headed off to the Highrock, probably to report the apprentices' catch to Tigerstar. As Graypaw and Tinypaw were depositing their prey onto the fresh-kill pile, Graypaw took another look at the adder.

"I still can't believe you caught that," he said. "Can you even _eat_ an adder?"

Ravenpaw spat the snake onto the ground. He prodded it with one paw and meowed, "It doesn't taste too good; and I've been carrying it around since Snakerocks. I wouldn't eat it."

"Sounds like something ShadowClan might eat," Tinypaw commented. "Yellowfang told me ShadowClan eat lizards and frogs."

Graypaw hunched his shoulders and shivered with dislike. "Then _she_ can have it!" he decided.

The three shared a laugh.

"I've got a better idea," Tinypaw mewed. He placed his paw on the adder and said, "Let's put it on the tree stump. Won't Dustpaw be thrilled to see that his little brother caught an _adder?"_

Graypaw smirked. "That sounds like a _great_ idea!" he purred.

"I-I don't know, guys," Ravenpaw stammered. "I mean, Dustpaw is…"

"He treats you like you don't even exist!" Tinypaw told Ravenpaw. "No brother should do that." _My brother never did that to me,_ he thought. _We were friends._

Ravenpaw didn't protest. He picked up the adder and followed Graypaw and Tinypaw across the clearing. Together, they arranged the adder on the stump outside the apprentice's den, making sure that it was visible from all sides.

Afterward, they took some prey from the pile and sat near it to eat. Exhausted from the day's work, they settled down near one another and began sharing tongues, talking quietly as the day began to turn red with evening.

"I wonder who will go to the Gathering," Tinypaw wondered, lapping at Graypaw's pelt. "The moon will be full tomorrow."

"Dustpaw and Sandpaw have gone twice already," Graypaw sighed enviously.

"Sandpaw's an older apprentice, though," Tinypaw pointed out.

"We'll go someday," Ravenpaw told them reassuringly. "All apprentices go at least once."

"I just want to go this time," Tinypaw said. "It'll be the first time the Clans meet after WindClan's been driven out. What could ShadowClan possible say about it?"

"I wonder that too," meowed Bluefur.

Tinypaw looked up from Graypaw, shocked to see his mentor there. She looked tired – but Tinypaw reasoned that it was just the lighting.

"Tigerstar wishes to see you, Tinypaw," she meowed.

"Now?" Tinypaw was too stunned to comply immediately.

"If you can spare the time," Bluefur mewed in a tone that said he ought to be sparing the time.

Tinypaw hopped to his paws and padded to the Highrock. Tigerstar was inside, and Tinypaw let himself in after a small announcement of his arrival.

Tigerstar's den was cool and well sheltered. It was a sparse little cave with just enough room for a few cats. Tigerstar's nest lay in the middle, and he lay in it grooming his pelt. He looked up as Tinypaw entered.

"Bluefur told me that she spotted you talking with a kittypet during your assessment," he meowed. His voice was low, unchallenging. He was curious.

Tinypaw looked at him, shocked. Bluefur had seen that?

"She said you started out attacking this cat, but ended up speaking with it at length," Tigerstar went on. Is this true?"

Tinypaw's fur prickled.

"It is," he admitted. He had no right to lie to Tigerstar. "He was an old friend – a kittypet who lived next door to me when I lived in the Twolegplace. Other than my brother, he was one of the cats who was closest to me."

Tigerstar's amber eyes studied him for a long moment. "Do you miss your old life, Tinypaw?" he asked. "Think hard, think carefully. I want an honest answer."

Tinypaw blinked in shock. "I don't miss being a kittypet at all!" he insisted. "I mean, I miss my brother sometimes, but that's really it. It'd be the same if you'd left family behind somewhere."

Tigerstar blinked at him evenly. His eyes flashed, and something passed across his face, as if Tinypaw said something that had stirred memories in the old tom.

"Do you wish to leave the Clan?" Tigerstar asked.

"Of course not!" Tinypaw said instantly.

"Are you sure?" Tigerstar asked. "I have noticed that you still have issues with some of the other cats in the Clan." He adjusted himself in the nest. "I won't judge you if you go back to your Twolegs, Tinypaw – not all cats are suited for Clan life. I will admit that perhaps my judgment in this matter was clouded by my Clan's need for warriors."

Panic flooded Tinypaw. Was Tigerstar asking him to leave? "My place is here," he insisted. "This is my home! I miss my brother, but he's happy where he is – and I'm happy here."

"I need more than that, Tinypaw," Tigerstar insisted back. "With ShadowClan posing a possible threat, I need every warrior's loyalty and trust. I cannot afford to have room for someone who's heart lies in the past."

Tinypaw took a deep breath. His next words were chosen carefully: "When I saw Smudge – the kittypet Bluefur saw me with – I realized what I would become if I stayed. For a brief moment I saw myself in his paws, and I didn't like what I saw. As much as I miss my family, seeing Smudge today made me realize that I had made the right decision – I was never suited to be a housecat. I am a warrior cat, Tigerstar, and I will do anything within my power to prove that to you."

Tigerstar's eyes were warm. He blinked, and then said, "I believe you, Tinypaw. Thank you."

Tinypaw dipped his head respectfully, letting out a sly sigh of relief.

"Yellowfang thinks a lot of you, you know," Tigerstar told him. "I spoke with her earlier. She seems to be warming up to being here, thanks to you. I think I might grow to like her myself."

Tinypaw lifted his head, smiling despite himself. He liked Yellowfang's spirit and temper, and he was glad that some cat didn't see her just as an ill-tempered prisoner.

Tigerstar frowned. "There's something about her that I don't trust, though," he admitted. "Her story just doesn't add up in my mind. We'll be keeping her here until further notice. Tinypaw, you must concentrate on your training – that conviction of yours that I see must be put towards your training. The queens will take care of Yellowfang."

Tinypaw blinked. He appreciated being released from Yellowfang, but some part of him felt saddened. Caring for her had become part of his routine, and through that he made what he hoped was a good friend. Losing that job would open him up for more training, but he would miss Yellowfang.

"Tinypaw, though you showed a bit of bad judgment today," Tigerstar went on, drawing Tinypaw out of his thoughts, "Bluefur was incredibly impressed with what you and your friends accomplished today. I am more than pleased with all your progress – even Ravenpaw, whom I regret not being able to train much lately. All three of you will go to the Gathering tomorrow."

Tinypaw's eyes opened wide. "No way – really?" he gasped.

Tigerstar nodded.

"What about Sandpaw or Dustpaw?" Tinypaw couldn't help but ask.

"They will remain to guard the camp," Tigerstar told him. "It's your turn this time – now go, tell your friends. And get some rest. You deserve it."

Tinypaw left the den, tingling with excitement.

* * *

"Well?" Graypaw asked. "You're not in trouble?"

Tinypaw shook his head, beaming.

"But… but Bluefur said you were sharing tongues with a _kittypet,"_ Ravenpaw pointed out.

Tinypaw settled himself down beside the tree stump. "Well, yeah," he said, "I got talked to about that. Tigerstar thought I might be missing what I left behind, and that I would want to leave the Clan."

Graypaw and Ravenpaw looked at him, their eyes wide.

"Don't worry!" Tinypaw told them reassuringly. "I told her that this is my home now. I could never go back to being a kittypet after experiencing this side of myself."

Both apprentices gave a sigh of relief.

"Besides," Tinypaw teased, "Graypaw needs me to catch mice for him – all he can manage are squirrels!"

"Hey!" Graypaw chuckled. "I'll show _you_ squirrels!"

Tinypaw dodged his playful swipe, purring.

"You won't believe what else Tigerstar said, though," Tinypaw mewed.

"What?" Ravenpaw wondered.

"We're going to the Gathering!" he said. "Just us – no Sandpaw or Dustpaw!"

Graypaw let out a yowl of delight, rearing onto his hind legs. He slammed his paws down on the tree stump, causing the adder to fall into a pile on top of Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw let out a trill of fear, his lanky limbs writhing around the snake.

Purring, Tinypaw and Graypaw pulled the adder off of Ravenpaw.

"Why are you so happy?" Ravenpaw said, unwrapping the snake from his neck. "Sandpaw's not going! You won't get to tell her how you feel underneath the full moon, or see how the light shines on her pretty fur!"

Tinypaw's ears burned. He thrust the snake back around Ravenpaw, snapping, "Quit it!"

Graypaw chuckled, and he said mockingly, _"Oh Sandpaw, the moonlight makes your fur look like the river in the sunshine!"_

Ravenpaw sniggered. _"Oh come off it, Tinypaw – you stinky kittypet!"_

"Stop that!" Tinypaw growled.

He pounced onto his friends, pelt burning with embarrassment. They tussled into a pile of play-fighting and purring until finally they fell away from one another, tired.

"Sorry," Ravenpaw panted. "It's just too funny!"

Tinypaw curled his lip.

"I'm going to tell them!" Graypaw decided. "I want to see the look on Dustpaw's face! He'll be spitting!"

"I just can't believe we're going," Ravenpaw said, sighing. "Especially after Bluefur caught you with that kittypet."

"It was just bad luck," Graypaw insisted. "Bluefur could have been _anywhere_ in the woods. She just happened to see Tinypaw at the wrong time!"

_She could have been anywhere…_ Tinypaw thought.

"I wonder who will be at the Gathering," Ravenpaw breathed.

"Oh, I bet _all_ the best warriors will be there – Clawface, Brambleclaw…"

Their voices faded into the background. Tinypaw blinked – Graypaw was right. Bluefur could have been _anywhere_ during the assessment, and she didn't seem to care much about where Graypaw and Ravenpaw went. Tinypaw knew that he was her apprentice, and that she probably did care a little more about how he did, but his fur prickled at the thought of her purposefully setting him up to ge tin trouble.

_Did… did she send me near Twolegplace on purpose?_ He thought.

If she had, why? Did she doubt his loyalty to the Clan?

He shook his head. _No,_ he thought. _It… it must have slipped her mind, that's all. Graypaw said she's been acting off lately. Even Oakheart says she's been different. She just… forgot, that's all. There wasn't anything sinister about it._

_She was just looking out for me, like a mentor ought to,_ Tinypaw insisted. _That's all it was._


	15. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_Tinypaw had not seen Fourtrees up_ close since his first trip there almost three moons ago with Graypaw and Lionheart and Bluefur. Touched by moonlight and starlight, the clearing looked stunning – like something out of a dream. Tinypaw gazed in awe at the multitude of cats gathered below – even without WindClan's presence, there were still a lot of cats there, sharing tongues.

At the center of the clearing, a great, smooth rock rose from the ground just before the four great oaks. Sitting on it was a massive light brown tabby tom. From here, Tinypaw could tell that his jaw was twisted, and his body showed signs of a warrior's harsh life.

"Look at them all!" gasped Graypaw from beside Tinypaw.

"Who's that?" Tinypaw asked, pointing at the tom on the rock.

"That's Crookedstar," Graypaw breathed. "RiverClan's leader. He's sitting on the Great Rock already – I guess he couldn't wait."

_He's their leader,_ Tinypaw thought. _Swiftclaw is dead, though – I wonder who their new deputy is?_

"Look!" Ravenpaw gasped. "There's Brokenstar – ShadowClan's new leader."

Tinypaw shivered as he followed Ravenpaw's gaze. Brokenstar was sitting just below the Great Rock, like a shadow. His fur was dark brown and long, with shadowy stripes. His face was broad and flattened, and his eyes were strangely cool as he gazed upon the cats before him. His tail was bent at a strange angle, sticking out as he sat still in the moonlight.

Something about him made Tinypaw bristle.

"He's… nasty-looking," Tinypaw admitted.

"I've heard he's made quite a reputation for himself," Graypaw explained. "He hasn't even been leader that long, either – it's only been four moons since Raggedstar, his father, died."

"What does Tallstar look like?" Tinypaw wondered. He looked away from Brokenstar, looking for another cat who looked like they ought to be a leader.

"Not sure," Ravenpaw answered. "But I hear he's black and white, with a very long tail."

Tinypaw breathed in the scents of the hollow. "Do you smell _any_ WindClan cats?" he asked.

Graypaw and Ravenpaw shook their heads.

"Hush, you three," Lionheart rumbled. "WindClan might just be… late."

_You doubt that,_ Tinypaw thought. It was obvious.

"What if they don't turn up at all?" Graypaw asked.

"We must be patient," Lionheart insisted. "These are difficult times. Keep quiet; Tigerstar will be moving into the hollow soon."

Tinypaw glanced at their leader. Tigerstar stood at the head of a pack of ThunderClan warriors, apprentices, queens, and elders, his tail held straight up in the air. As if Lionheart's words were a signal, that tail flicked from side to side, and ThunderClan cats moved like a wave down the slope and into the hollow.

The apprentice's followed, paws tingling with excitement. Tinypaw could feel his heart pounding in his ears as Tigerstar slowed to a stop once more. He sniffed the air, and then nodded – and the Clan pushed through the undergrowth and into Fourtrees.

A feeling of excitement pulsed through Tinypaw as he observed the warriors up close. They came in all sizes, from massive like Tigerstar to small like Tinypaw himself. The air was filled with hushed talking and the excited chattering of old friends greeting one another. A great white cat strode past, his paws black as night – he curled his lip at Tinypaw, as if the small tom was in his way, before striding over to sit beside Brokenstar.

"Who's _that?"_ Tinypaw wondered.

"That must be Blackfoot," Graypaw breathed, "ShadowClan's new deputy."

Tinypaw shivered more.

Ravenpaw looked to Whitestorm. "When does the meeting begin?" he asked.

"Patience, Ravenpaw," the white warrior answered. "The sky is clear – there is plenty of time for the Gathering."

Lionheart's purr grew louder as the golden warrior approached the apprentices. "We warriors like boasting about our victories!" he said with a smile. "The elders swap tales of the old days and the apprentices get to know one another as well."

Tinypaw saw that he was right – Dappletail, One-eye, and Smallear were already sitting amongst a group of elderly cats, fur flat as they spoke in their broken voices. They huddled close as if they were too old to care about Clan boundaries anymore.

Lionheart and Whitestorm dipped their heads and headed off towards a pair of sleek-pelted warriors – a big dark brown tabby and a tortoiseshell she-cat. Tinypaw breathed in their scents to find that they were RiverClan.

"Don't waste time tonight," Tigerstar's voice rumbled from behind the apprentices. All three turned to find their leader, along with Bluefur and Oakheart, standing behind them. "This is a good opportunity to meet apprentices and warriors from other Clans and get to know them. There is a great deal to be learned from these meetings about our enemies."

"Say little," warned Bluefur. Her eyes were focused on Tinypaw. "Anything that you say here can and will be used against ThunderClan once the moon has waned."

"Oh, don't worry – they won't," Oakheart insisted. He gave his mate a gentle nudge. "Come on; let's go see what Dawncloud's been up to this moon."

Bluefur twitched her whiskers, but she and Oakheart loped off without another word. Tigerstar smirked at the couple, before heading off himself. Tinypaw watched their leader pad to the Great Rock, a shiver running down his spine.

_I am loyal to my Clan,_ he thought. _Don't doubt that._

"What now?" he asked.

"What they said, I suppose," Ravenpaw replied. "Listen."

"And don't say too much!" Graypaw chimed.

Tinypaw nodded in agreement. "I'm going to go see what the warriors are up to," he said. His paws itched to hear the stories they had to tell – the victories that they would be boasting of.

"I'm going to look for Lionheart," Graypaw admitted. "This place is so crowded – want to come, Ravenpaw?"

Ravenpaw shook his head. "I'm going to look for the other apprentices," he said. "It might be nice to meet a cat or two our age."

"We'll meet up later," Tinypaw promised. "When the meeting starts."

Tinypaw scented the air, identifying Bluefur's scent. As Graypaw and Ravenpaw headed off in their own directions, Tinypaw followed his mentor's scent through the crowd. He found her amidst a group of wide-eyed warriors, reciting a tale Tinypaw had heard many a time in ThunderClan's camp. Oakheart was beside her with pride in his eyes, nodding along as if he had been there.

"I wrestled like a LionClan cat," Bluefur mewed. "Three warriors tried to hold me down, but I wriggled away, clawing one so hard they fled crying like a kit for their mother…"

Tinypaw flattened his ears as he listened. Bluefur didn't mention killing Swiftclaw in this version of the story – but Tinypaw noted that the RiverClan cats in the audience were looking a little uncomfortable. The omission must have been for their sake.

When the story was over, Tinypaw crept away from the group. Bluefur might not want her apprentice nagging her at the Gathering. He scented Graypaw and headed for that, finding him with Lionheart amongst the elders. Spottedleaf was there as well, her sweet scent distinctive from the others.

"Still no sign of WindClan," Tinypaw murmured worried, settling beside Graypaw.

"The meeting's not begun yet," Graypaw assured him. "They'll be here. In the meantime, look – there's Runningnose, ShadowClan's medicine cat. He's sitting by Mudfur, RiverClan's medicine cat, and Spottedleaf."

Tinypaw followed his friend's paw. Runningnose was a small, skinny tom with patchy, gray-and-white fur. His nose looked crusted and wet, as if he had been sneezing too much recently. On the other side of Spottedleaf was Mudfur, a thick-furred brown tom with a bored expression on his face, as if he had better things to do.

_Runningnose is medicine cat, but it looks like he can't even cure his own cold!_ Tinypaw thought to himself.

Runningnose was telling the group of cats about an herb that was used to treat a disease called kitten-cough, one that Tinypaw had never heard of. "When the Twolegs came and filled this place with hard earth and strange flowers," he lamented, "the herbs has disappeared – and kittens die needlessly in the cold leaf-bare!"

Rumbles of sympathy and disapproval rose from the cats surrounding them.

"Such a thing would never have happened during the time of the Great Clans," commented a golden RiverClan elder.

"Indeed," agreed a gray-furred ShadowClan elder. "Those great cats would have killed any intruders. If TigerClan roamed this forest still, there would be no place for Twolegs to make their homes!"

"There would hardly be a place to make _our_ homes," Spottedleaf countered.

"What's TigerClan?" a small mew asked.

Tinypaw looked at the source – a tiny tabby tom, ShadowClan by scent. With a shiver, he thought, _That cat is smaller than _me! _Is he really an apprentice?_

"TigerClan is one of the great Clans that used to rule the forest seasons ago," Graypaw answered, not shocked by the young cat's size. "TigerClan cats were cats of the night – big and dark gold, with night-black stripes. Then there's LionClan…"

Graypaw trailed off, his face screwed up in thought.

"Oh, I know them!" the ShadowClan apprentice chimed. "They're as big as TigerClan cats, with fur like the sun and thick manes like the sun's rays!"

Graypaw was nodding enthusiastically. "And then there's… uh… SpottyClan? Something like that?"

Lionheart chuckled. "You're thinking of LeopardClan, Graypaw," he purred. In mock despair, Lionheart cried, "Don't you young cats know your history? LeopardClan are the swiftest cats, with pelts dappled by black pawprints. Thanks to them we possess our speed and hunting skills."

"Thank them?" the tabby apprentice asked. "What for?"

Lionheart eyed the young cat. "There is a trace of the Great Clans in every cat who breathes to this day. Our love of the sun, from LionClan. Our stalking skills and night-sight, from TigerClan," he mewed. After a pause, he asked, "You're a ShadowClan apprentice, aren't you? How many moons are you?"

The tiny tabby tom trembled where he stood. Lionheart's shadow crossed over him as the apprentice answered, "S-Six m-moons…"

Lionheart blinked concernedly. "Rather small for six moons," he rumbled. His gaze was searching, serious, and his eyes flickered to Tinypaw for a brief moment as if he were thinking, _He was small, too._

"M-My mother was small, too," stammered the apprentice.

Tinypaw could understand Lionheart's concern – Tinypaw himself had been small when he joined ThunderClan, but not _that_ small. This apprentice looked no older than one of Frostfur's kits!

The tiny tabby didn't seem capable of taking Lionheart's gaze any longer. He slowly backed away, disappearing into the crowd.

Lionheart let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

"Well, he may be small but at least he was curious," he decided. He glanced at Graypaw and Tinypaw. "You two should show more interest in the stories the elder's tell!"

Graypaw ducked his head, and Tinypaw flattened his ears. "Sorry, Lionheart," Graypaw murmured.

Lionheart's whiskers twitched. "Oh, go away the two of you!" he said playfully. He swiped a massive paw at the two apprentices. "Next time Tigerstar had better bring apprentices who appreciate what they hear!"

He lunged playfully at the two of them, jaws open like a lion's roar. Graypaw and Tinypaw chuckled as they fled from him, heading further into the crowd.

They found themselves in the middle of a group of apprentices from all the Clans. Ravenpaw was in the middle – for once not looking so nervous. He, too, was recounting the battle with RiverClan, but with more fervor than Bluefur had spoken earlier.

"Go on, Ravenpaw," a pretty black-and-white she-cat asked. "Tell us what happened next!"

Ravenpaw ducked his head shyly.

"Go on," Tinypaw said encouragingly.

Ravenpaw lifted his head. He swallowed, then turned to the crowd. Every trace of the nervous, jittery Ravenpaw that Tinypaw had come to know was gone as he recounted the tale of what happened by Sunningrocks. He spoke with passion and fervor, such that even the RiverClan cats in his audience were entranced:

"Fur flew in every direction. Blood splattered against the undergrowth, bright red against green. The stones were wet and marked with pawprints. I was lucky enough to have just fought off a huge warrior, sending him screeching into the bushes. A warrior screamed just beyond the rocks! I rushed to find them – and there I saw Swiftclaw, lying on the stones! Redtail rushed past behind me – blood dripping from his mouth.

" 'Swiftclaw is dead!' he called. Without another word he rushed off, helping Bluefur fight off another warrior…"

Tinypaw tipped his head. _That's odd,_ he thought.

"Who would have thought that Ravenpaw could tell a story like this!" Graypaw wondered, nudging Tinypaw.

"Oh? Oh, yes – his storytelling is very good," Tinypaw agreed, nodding his head hastily. _But… isn't he telling the story wrong?_

"If Redtail killed Swiftclaw, who killed Redtail?" Tinypaw asked.

"Huh?" Graypaw was still entranced.

Tinypaw repeated himself. "Ravenpaw's saying that Redtail killed Swiftclaw. But didn't Swiftclaw kill Redtail, and then Bluefur killed Swiftclaw in revenge?"

But Graypaw wasn't listening. Tinypaw flattened his ears, feeling a little disturbed. Why would Ravenpaw's version of the story go against Bluefur's? They were both there, they both had to have seen what had happened. Which one was telling the truth?

_He _must_ have meant Bluefur,_ he thought, digging his claws into the earth.

As if his thoughts had summoned her, Bluefur appeared from the shadows as Ravenpaw began to finish his story. He didn't see her – he was too wrapped up in his story to know that she was there, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Finally, Redtail dragged the wailing cat off of Bluefur and flung him into the bushes with the strength of TigerClan!" he meowed. "The battle was over – ThunderClan had won!"

Immediately the listening cats clamored at Ravenpaw, rising up with questions like a tide.

"What were Swiftclaw's dying words?" asked one.

"Is it true that Redtail had never lost a battle before?" asked another.

Tinypaw looked past Ravenpaw as he replied promptly, eagerly, seeing for himself the horror and anger rising up within Bluefur like a hungry fire. She was glaring at Ravenpaw with such an intensity, as if she wished he would just disappear.

He was about to speak about it to Graypaw, when a call sounded – louder than all others, it quieted the clearing and caused all heads to turn towards the Great Rock; even Tinypaw's.

Tigerstar, Crookedstar, and Brokenstar were all standing atop the boulder, silhouetted in the moonlight. Though Tigerstar and Crookedstar dwarfed Brokenstar, it didn't make the ShadowClan leader look any less menacing.

But there was no fourth leader. Where was Tallstar?

Tinypaw was not the only one thinking this – but he was the only one to not vocalize his worry. The other cats were turning their heads, looking for their WindClan brethren, and finding no one. Quickly worried murmurs rose from the crowd.

"There isn't a single WindClan cat here tonight!" realized a dappled RiverClan she-cat sitting near Tinypaw.

"We can't start!" called a voice, louder than all the others. Tinypaw craned his neck, but couldn't tell where it had come from. "There are no WindClan representatives! We must wait for WindClan!"

Tigerstar flicked his tail. "It is true that WindClan is not here," he rumbled. "But Brokenstar wishes to speak anyway."

Brokenstar padded up silently, his orange eyes burning as he observed the crowd. Blinking only once, he announced, "Friends, I have come here tonight to speak on the behalf of the needs of ShadowClan -"

He was interrupted.

"Where is Tallstar?" a cat demanded.

"Where is WindClan?" another cried.

"_Silence!"_ Brokenstar demanded, his voice a horrible roar. There was quiet. "As leader of ShadowClan, it my _right_ to address you all here!"

The gathered cats shifted in an awkward, uncomfortable silence. Tinypaw shivered – Brokenstar was obviously not one to suffer fools… or interruptions.

Brokenstar observed the crowd one more time before speaking, as if he were waiting for one last cat to try and interrupt him. When none did, he announced, "We all know that this past leaf-bare was hard, and gave us a late newleaf. Prey was scarce for all the Clans in the cold. WindClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan all lost kits to the weather and poor harvest – but not ShadowClan. ShadowClan endured. ShadowClan is hardened by the cold north wind. Our kits survived. ShadowClan survived… and now we have too many mouths to feed, and little territory to feed them with."

_What is he suggesting?_ Tinypaw wondered. The other cats seemed to be wondering that, too – but they dared not vocalize their questions.

"Now I come to you, to ask something that could mean life or death for my Clan," Brokenstar went on. "In order to survive, my Clan must increase its hunting territory. I have come to ask that you share your territory with ShadowClan!"

Silence.

And then Bluefur growled, _"Share_ our hunting grounds?"

"Unprecedented!" the mottled she-cat near Tinypaw spat. "The Clans have never shared hunting rights!"

"Should ShadowCLan be punished because our kits live?" Brokenstar demanded. "Should we be forced to watch our young starve? You _must_ share your hunting grounds with us!"

"_Must!"_ spat Smallear from a distance.

"Must," Brokenstar repeated firmly. "WindClan failed to understand this. In the end, we were forced to drive them from their territory."

There was no shocked silence – only shocked outrage from the rest of the cats. Tinypaw looked up at Brokenstar, shocked – so it was true! He _had_ driven away WindClan!

"I will drive away every Clan," Brokenstar snarled above them all, "if it means my Clan will survive!"

Now there was silence.

"Every year, Twolegs spoil more of our territories. At least one Clan must remain strong, if we are to survive. ShadowClan thrives while you all struggle. We have a right to live – to survive; and you have no right to stop me from ensuring that ShadowClan lives on. The time will come one day when you need ShadowClan to protect you, and when that day comes you will be grateful for listening to me tonight."

"You doubt our strength?" Bluefur challenged.

"I doubt you can give me your answers right away," Brokenstar said smoothly. "I ask that you go back home; think on what has been said here tonight. You must consider whether you would prefer to share your prey or be starved and homeless."

There was an anxious pause as the Clan cats below contemplated this. Tinypaw shifted on his paws. _You're not giving us a choice,_ he thought.

For the first time Crookedstar approached. He raised his head and meowed, "I have already given Brokenstar permission to hunt in our territory."

Shocked mewls rose from the RiverClan cats.

"We were not consulted!" spat a gray RiverClan queen.

Crookedstar's voice was heavy with resignation. "I felt is best for our Clan," he said. "Why spill blood over prey when it can be shared? There is plenty of fish in the river."

"Tigerstar?" Smallear asked. "Don't tell us that you have agreed to this ridiculous demand?"

Tigerstar shifted on his paws. "I have made no agreement with Brokenstar," he said. "I will discuss this with my Clan after this Gathering."

"Good," Graypaw grunted. "At least it shows that we're not as yellow-bellied as RiverClan!"

Tinypaw nodded in agreement.

Brokenstar didn't dare hide the arrogance in his voice when he spoke up again. "I have more news to share," he called. "A ShadowClan cat has turned rogue and spurned the warrior code. For the safety of your kits, I urge that you take caution if you find this cat. She is a dangerous old mess of a cat, but she has a bite like TigerClan."

Tinypaw shivered. Could he possibly be talking about Yellowfang?

"Until she is caught and killed, I urge you to not offer her shelter," Brokenstar went on. "Keep a close eye on your kits, I urge you."

Tinypaw's heart pounded – from the growls that rose in ThunderClan throats, he knew he wasn't the only one whose first thought was Yellowfang. He shifted uneasily on his paws.

Brokenstar leaped off of the Great Rock and into a throng of powerful-looking ShadowClan warriors. The fearsome group collected the rest of their Clan and began to make their way out of the hollow. Tinypaw stretched his neck to see – the little tabby was bunched up with the rest of them, but he wasn't the only apprentice who looked so small.

"What do you think of all that?" Graypaw wondered worriedly.

"What's going on?" Ravenpaw breathed, panic in his tone.

Tinypaw had no answer. His ears were tilted towards the elders, who were talking with ruffled fur nearby.

"It must be Yellowfang!" Smallear rasped.

"She did snap at one of Frostfur's kits the other day," Dappletail agreed.

"We've left her behind," growled Speckletail, "with the camp virtually unguarded!" Her tail was bristling in her protective fury.

"I've tried telling you all that the mange-bag is nothing but a danger to us," Darkstripe spat. ThunderClan cats were converging together, and Tigerstar had just leaped off of the Great Rock. "Tigerstar _has_ to listen to reason now that we know the truth!"

Tinypaw's entire body shuddered. The cats around Darkstripe were beginning to clamor on about Yellowfang, saying horrible things. He couldn't take it – Tinypaw looked away.

"Cover for me," he begged to Graypaw and Ravenpaw.

"Why?" Ravenpaw asked.

"Yellowfang?" Graypaw asked.

Tinypaw nodded.

"Go," Graypaw said, understanding. "We've got your back."

Tinypaw mewed a grateful thanks to his friend. He sprang away from the remnants of the Gathering, sprinted as fast as he could manage in the direction of the ThunderClan camp. He had to get there before Darkstripe did – he had to warn Yellowfang!


	16. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_Tinypaw panted. He was at the_ top of the ravine, looking down at the ThunderClan camp below. Stars still shimmered in the sky, but dawn was not so far off. A quick scent of the air told him he had not been followed. Paws slippery with dew, he made his way down the ravine and into the camp.

The camp was silent but for the snoring and mumbling of sleeping warriors. Tinypaw kept his pawsteps light as he headed across the clearing towards Yellowfang's nest. The rumpled gray she-cat was huddled up in a tight ball, her moss glistening with moisture.

She woke instantly when Tinypaw gave her shoulder a gentle prod. Tinypaw blinked in shock – she hadn't been asleep this entire time?

Her orange eyes opened, round and bright in the dark.

"So you must have heard, then?" she mewed calmly, quietly. Her voice had a strangeness to it that made Tinypaw shiver. "Brokenstar kept his promise?"

"What promise?" Tinypaw hissed. "Yellowfang, what's going on?"

"ShadowClan's noble leader promised to banish me from every corner of the forest," Yellowfang told him. For once it seemed like she wasn't hiding anything. "What did he say about me?"

"That you were a danger to kits," Tinypaw replied. "That sheltering you would put our lives at risk. He never said your name – just that you were a rogue… but I could tell that some warriors were guessing that it was you. I… I guess they were right."

"Do you think so?" Yellowfang asked.

"What?"

"Do _you_ think that I'm a danger to your kits, and your Clan?" Yellowfang asked.

Tinypaw frowned.

"No," he stated. "I think you're a grumpy furball, but you'd never hurt a kit."

Yellowfang sighed. "Then others might think so too," she decided, resting her head on her paws.

Tinypaw's ears pricked in alarm. "No!" he insisted. "You need to leave – now! Darkstripe and the other warriors, they'll -"

Yellowfang flattened her ears and hissed, "Tinypaw, don't. I'm too old to keep running. I'll stay here and face my fate – Tigerstar will be fair, I'm sure. If you think I'm innocent, then others might."

"But Darkstripe -"

"Darkstripe doesn't run this Clan, does he?" Yellowfang countered. "Did he become deputy and leader without me noticing?"

Tinypaw sighed. "I'm just looking out for you," he murmured.

"I know," Yellowfang meowed. "And I appreciate it, youngster. Now go – I smell the others returning. Their aggression will wake the whole camp, and you won't want to be caught."

Tinypaw lifted his head and scented the air – she was right. Scents were just coming over the ravine, full of aggression and anger. He breathed in the scents of Darkstripe and Speckletail, and he bristled with worry.

He quickly touched his nose to Yellowfang's patchy, unkempt flank. Then, he leaped away, bounding into the shadows of the camp in order to escape notice as the cats began filtering into the camp. He watched as Frostfur and Willowpelt immediately headed for the nursery, tails high and bristling. Darkstripe strode into the clearing, eyes narrowed, looking grim and angry. Bluefur and Oakheart followed, looking serious.

Graypaw and Ravenpaw were at the rear. Tinypaw crept over to them, keeping out of sight. He trotted out of the shadows to join them, acting as if he had just come through the tunnel himself.

"You warn Yellowfang?" Graypaw asked.

Tinypaw nodded. "She didn't want to leave, though," he said worriedly. "She said that she'd accept the fate that Tigerstar laid out for her. Did anyone miss me?"

"Just us," Ravenpaw offered.

The combination of voices raised with tension and aggression in the air roused the cats who had stayed behind. The tabby warrior Runningwind peeked out of the warrior's den, his sister Mousefur's eyes gleaming from the gloom. It only took a moment for the warriors to run out into the clearing, tails high.

"What's happened?" Runningwind demanded.

"Brokenstar has demanded hunting rights in all our territories!" Longtail announced loudly, so his words would not fail to reach all ears.

Beside the nursery, Willowpelt added, "And he warned us of a rogue who poses a threat to our kits!" She narrowed her eyes and meowed, "It _has_ to be Yellowfang!"

Sounds of anger and distress rose from the warriors, and tails and spines immediately began bristling.

"Silence!" roared Tigerstar. The massive tom strode through the clearing and leaped onto the Highrock, his muscles rippling in the waning moonlight. He looked down at the Clan, his amber eyes glowing.

A loud screech demanded the Clan's attention. Tinypaw looked over, horror in his heart, as Darkstripe's shadowy pelt entered the clearing. He was dragging Yellowfang by the scruff, and then he threw her into the moonlight. The ragged she-cat spat in fury at Darkstripe, and the dark gray tom looked ready to slice her throat.

"Enough!" roared Tigerstar again. "Darkstripe, what is this?"

Tinypaw bunched his muscles. He could take on Darkstripe – it wouldn't be too hard to fight Longtail again, either…

Graypaw nipped at his shoulder. "Let Tigerstar handle this, Tinypaw," he hissed. "Don't get yourself into trouble!"

"I gave _no_ orders to attack our prisoner!" Tigerstar snarled, his voice a rumble of thunder. "What are you doing, Darkstripe?"

Frostfur appeared, just before Darkstripe could answer. She breathed with relief, "Our kits are safe!"

"Of course they are!" snapped Tigerstar. "What would make you think otherwise?"

Frostfur looked taken aback by their leader's anger. "You… you _are_ going to throw out Yellowfang, aren't you?" she stammered.

"Throw her out?" Darkstripe growled, unsheathing his claws. "We should kill her now!"

Tinypaw took a step forward, muscles tensed. Regardless of Graypaw's warning, if Darkstripe made a move to harm Yellowfang he would step in no matter what.

"What exactly has she done?" Tigerstar demanded. "Tell me, Darkstripe. What has our prisoner done to deserve to die?"

"You were at the Gathering!" Darkstripe sputtered. "You heard Brokenstar – he said she -"

"Brokenstar never mentioned the name of this rogue," Tigerstar growled. "He only stated that there was a rogue wandering the territories. If he meant Yellowfang, I'm sure he would have mentioned her by name. Our kits are safe – and for as long as she is within my Clan, Yellowfang will _not_ be harmed."

Tigerstar's words were met with silence. Tinypaw breathed a sigh of relief, unclenching his muscles.

Yellowfang looked up at Tigerstar. "I will leave now," she decided. "If you wish it. I have caused your Clan too much trouble, Tigerstar."

"Nonsense," Tigerstar rumbled, smiling. "You have done no harm."

Yellowfang's body seemed to sag with relief.

"It's time we discussed our _real_ threat – Brokenstar," Tigerstar went on, addressing the whole Clan. The preparations we were making to defend against an attack from ShadowClan will continue, including the frequent border patrols. WindClan has been driven away. RiverClan has bowed to ShadowClan. ThunderClan alone remains to stand against Brokenstar."

A murmur of defiance rumbled through the Clan.

"So we're not agreeing to Brokenstar's demands?" Bluefur meowed.

"Of course not!" Tigerstar scoffed. "The Clans have never shared hunting rights before – we have always managed to support ourselves on our territory alone. There is no reason this should change."

"But can we truly hold up against a ShadowClan attack?" Smallear fretted. "WindClan couldn't… and RiverClan won't even try!"

"We must try," Tigerstar assured him. "We will not give our territory up without a fight – not while I draw breath."

Cats were nodding in agreement all around Tinypaw. Tinypaw himself couldn't help but feel reassured by Tigerstar's confident words.

"I have decided that I shall travel to the Moonstone tomorrow," Tigerstar announced, "to ask StarClan for advice in this difficult time. All of you; rest – come dawn there will be a lot of work to be done. I will talk with Lionheart now. Dismissed."

Tigerstar leaped off the Highrock without another word. He padded into the den, and Lionheart followed.

Murmurs of wonder rose from the Clan. Flashes of mystery were in their eyes. Tinypaw tipped his head – he had his head grasped around StarClan well enough, but there was actually a place where one _communicated_ with these spirits?

"What's the Moonstone?" Tinypaw asked, glancing at Graypaw. He was shocked he hadn't heard of it until now.

"It's a big rock deep underground that glows in the dark like a moon," Graypaw told him, his eyes bright with wonder. "All Clan leaders spend a night by the stone when they're first given the role – they wake up with nine lives, and they take the name _–star_."

"N-Nine lives?" Tinypaw repeated.

Graypaw nodded seriously. "All leaders have nine lives," Graypaw assured him. "It's _not_ just an old she-cat's tale."

Tinypaw shifted on his paws. So Tigerstar had nine lives? Or, well, he _had_ nine lives at one point? _Then that means Brokenstar does, too,_ he thought.

"Anyway, leaders and medicine cats go to the Moonstone to share dreams with StarClan," Graypaw told him. "What they share other than that, I don't know – not for us to know, I suppose. Anyway… we should get to bed. Lots of work to do in the morning!"

Tinypaw nodded in agreement. He glanced back at Yellowfang, noticing that the old she-cat was limping back to her nest. Darkstripe's rough treatment must have aggravated her injury. Tinypaw frowned, making a note to ask Spottedleaf for some poppy seeds when he woke.

For once, Dustpaw didn't greet them with a jibe. He had heard the announcements, the Clan meeting, and when Graypaw hopped into his nest the two engaged in a well-mannered conversation about it. Ravenpaw ignored them, huddling up into his far-off nest. Tinypaw was scratching together the remnants of his nest when Sandpaw blinked her pale green eyes open at him.

His eyes locked with hers, and the two stared at one another in silence, the yammering of Dustpaw and Graypaw in the background. Just as Tinypaw was about to say something, Lionheart's rumbling meow interrupted him.

"Well, well," the golden warrior meowed, poking his head into the apprentice's den, "seems that Tinypaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw will all be making another important step in their journey to warriorhood."

"What's what now?" Graypaw wondered, looking away from Dustpaw.

"You three will be accompanying Tigerstar to the Moonstone tomorrow," Lionheart announced. Dustpaw's face fell, and Sandpaw's eyes flashed – but Lionheart had noticed. "Don't worry; you two will make the trip someday soon. ThunderClan – and I – need your strength here tomorrow."

"You're not going?" Dustpaw asked.

Lionheart shook his head. "No," he rumbled in reply.

Graypaw's face fell, and Lionheart threw him a sympathetic look. "Get some rest; tomorrow will be a long day for you three. Tinypaw, before you get too settled, go to Spottedleaf and get the herbs you'll need. She's preparing them now."

"Of course," Tinypaw replied.

"Rest well," Lionheart repeated. "Wake early."

The golden warrior pulled his head out of the den and headed further into the camp. Tinypaw's heart was beating in his ears – Tigerstar had chosen him to go? Why?

"You'd better go," Sandpaw meowed. "Spottedleaf will be waiting."

Tinypaw blinked, shocked, at the sound of her voice. In the two – now three – moons he had been an apprentice of ThunderClan, he had only heard Sandpaw speak a pawful of times… and none of them to him. Was she finally warming up to him, or was it the situation?

Tinypaw decided not to dwell on in. He slipped out of the den and headed across the camp, passing Tigerstar as the leader padded between groups of warriors. He was instructing them on their duties tomorrow, while he was gone. Tinypaw ignored him, not wanting to get too caught-up in something else – he was tired, and heading for the Moonstone. The journey would take all his attention and strength.

Bluefur was just leaving Spottedleaf's den as Tinypaw arrived. His mentor didn't seem to notice Tinypaw – she was too focused on what was in front of her. She loped away, towards the warrior's den, her tail flicking back-and-forth in irritation. Tinypaw tipped his head, wondering what was bothering her, but he decided it would be a waste of time to ask.

Spottedleaf had been expecting him. Three bundles of herbs, tightly wrapped in leaves, were at her paws in the fern-shaded clearing.

"You have come for traveling herbs," Spottedleaf stated. Her pale eyes were on Tinypaw as he approached. Tinypaw was unsure what it was about her gaze that made his pelt prickle. "Here they are."

"Thank you," Tinypaw breathed. He scooped them towards him carefully with one paw. "Oh… and I think Yellowfang might need a few poppy seeds. Darkstripe treated her pretty roughly, and she was limping last I saw her."

Spottedleaf nodded. "I'll take her some when you leave," she promised. "Now remember – you three must eat these herbs just before you leave tomorrow. The herbs will keep back your appetite and help keep up your strength. The taste won't last long, so don't let it bother you!"

Tinypaw nodded to show that he heard. He picked up the packets in his teeth and headed out, waving his tail to Spottedleaf in farewell.

"Good luck!" she called. "Travel safely!"

* * *

Tinypaw was tucking his herbs in beside his nest when Graypaw flopped down beside him.

"I hope these don't taste too bad!" he complained.

"It must be a long way," Tinypaw realized, settling into his nest. They'd never been given herbs before. "How far away is Moonstone?"

"Way out, past WindClan territory," Graypaw told him. He yawned, and then went on, "In a place called Highstones. There's a cave there, called Mothermouth. The Moonstone is inside."

"Have you ever been there before?" Tinypaw asked. How could Graypaw know?

"Not personally," Graypaw replied. "I've heard stories, though – and all apprentices go there before they're made warriors."

Tinypaw's tail trembled. The thought of being made a warrior made his heartbeat quicken.

Graypaw's ears twitched. "Don't get too excited," he purred. "We've still got _tons_ of training left before we become warriors!"

Tinypaw yawned. "Let's get some sleep," he decided. Graypaw nodded gratefully, curling up tight in his nest. Tinypaw himself rolled onto his back, closing his eyes. He imagined the stars glimmering in the sky above him.

_I'll be a warrior soon,_ he thought. _Three moons ago, I was a kittypet! How far away that seems now…_


	17. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

_Deep, utter darkness surrounded Tinypaw, cold_ and quiet. His paws were touching cold earth, and the smell of stone and soil was in his nostrils. His eyes were useless – it was too dark to see.

Suddenly a bright, brilliant ball of light – brighter than the sun – appeared before him, glowing. Tinypaw shut his eyes against the glare of the light, and when he opened his eyes the light lasted but a moment longer before disappearing, leaving Tinypaw in darkness once more.

The smell of the woods drifted into Tinypaw's nostrils and, slowly, the darkness gained color and shape. He was standing in the woods, on a well-worn path through the undergrowth. Trees rose high above him, branches interlocking and leaves rustling in the breeze. Starlight filtered in between the leaves, dotting the ground with a speckled pattern.

A dreadful screech tore through the air, causing Tinypaw's pelt to bristle from neck to tail. He felt bodies rushing past him, and he breathed in the smells of his friends in ThunderClan. He could smell their terror, their fear., as they pelted past, tossing Tinypaw about like a harsh wind. Tinypaw turned – what were they running from?

Huge, dark shapes were there, padding out of the undergrowth. Their eyes glinted cruelly in the starlight as they opened their jaws. The smell of blood filled the air, and Tinypaw took a step back from the haze, gagging, shutting his eyes as they watered. Behind them rose a high call, filled with sorrow and rage.

_Graypaw!_

Tinypaw's eyes opened. He was in the apprentice's den, dawn light filtering in through the leaves. His pelt felt hot and he was panting, as if he had been running a long way. The dream had vanished, gone like dew in the sunshine – and Bluefur had her face poked into the apprentice's den, staring at him with her cool blue eyes.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"Just a dream," Tinypaw offered. He caught his breath quickly. _Just a dream,_ he told himself. _Just a dream…_

Bluefur tipped her head, but said nothing on it. She meowed, "Come; it's time we get going. Wake the others."

She disappeared, leaving Tinypaw to it. Pushing away the thoughts of his dream, Tinypaw turned about and began gently waking Graypaw and Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw woke quickly, jolting upright with wide eyes, as if he had never been asleep in the first place. Graypaw woke more slowly, naturally, and once they were both roused the three grabbed their traveling herbs and headed out of the den, careful not to wake Sandpaw or Dustpaw.

Once outside, they quickly gulped down the herbs. Tigerstar was already awake, waiting just outside. Lionheart, Oakheart, and Bluefur were with her. The rest of the camp was still sleeping, with only Mousefur awake keeping watch at the top of the ravine. Tinypaw shuddered visibly as the bitter leaves washed down his throat.

Graypaw was more vocal. "Ugh!" he complained. "Can't we have a mouse instead? These are wretched!"

"Those herbs will stall your hunger," Oakheart explained. "And they'll make you strong – trust me; you'll need it."

Graypaw rolled his eyes skeptically and pushed away the wrappings of his herbs.

"Have you eaten yours already?" Tinypaw asked, looking at Tigerstar.

"Bluefur has," Tigerstar meowed, "but I have not. I cannot eat if I am going to share tongues with StarClan tonight."

Tinypaw's eyes widened, mystified.

"I still think I ought to go in your stead, Bluefur," Oakheart sighed. Bluefur said nothing to her mate, causing him to turn his broad head towards Tigerstar. "Tigerstar, talk some sense into her!"

Tigerstar blinked at Oakheart. "Bluefur wishes to go," he told the bracken-colored tom. "I won't deny her company. We'll be safe; don't worry."

Oakheart frowned.

"I need you here, Oakheart," Lionheart added. "I need some cat to help me keep the Clan in order while Tigerstar and Bluefur are gone."

Oakheart shut his jaws, but his eyes glimmered with discomfort. Lionheart touched his nose to Tigerstar's ear.

"Safe journey," he wished.

"I trust you two to handle things while I am gone," Tigerstar rumbled. He stood up, beckoning with his tail. He touched his tail-tip to Lionheart's shoulder. "Keep my Clan safe."

Lionheart dipped his head. "With my life," he promised.

The golden warrior turned to Graypaw. He touched his nose to his apprentice's forehead and meowed, "You are almost a warrior, Graypaw. Remember what I've taught you."

Graypaw brushed his muzzle against Lionheart's shoulder, purring with affection. "I'll never forget," he promised.

* * *

"Highstones lay beyond WindClan territory," Tigerstar told them as the group padded through Fourtrees. Tinypaw wrinkled his nose at the smells of the other cats left over from the Gathering. His tail trembled as he caught a whiff of Brokenstar near the Great Rock. "This is the quickest way."

Tigerstar led the way through the other side of the hollow, leading the cats up, up, and up towards WindClan territory. Tinypaw hadn't thought that the ridge was this high – but as they clambered to the top Tinypaw felt the wind blasting in his face and fur.

WindClan territory lay before them, a barren, grassy wasteland of scrubby undergrowth and the stink of rabbits and heather. The ground was wet in some places, hard as rock in others, and the grass was so long it brushed against Tinypaw's ears.

Tinypaw bristled. WindClan scents were stale in comparison to the pungent odor of ShadowClan. He wasn't the only one who scented it, either – Bluefur was looked at Tigerstar, eyes begging for an order. Graypaw and Ravenpaw were looking about, on their toes.

"All Clans are entitled safe passage to the Moonstone," Tigerstar rumbled. "Be alert – ShadowClan doesn't seem too keen on obeying the warrior code as of late. Unlike them, we will follow the warrior code."

_So no hunting,_ Tinypaw realized.

They set out across the plateau, their pelts rustling the grass lightly. Tinypaw could smell rabbit and ShadowClan prominently, but the sweet smell of heather sometimes came and went on the breeze. Other than that, the walk was terse and silent, every cat alert for ShadowClan.

It didn't take long for a fresh scent to cause Bluefur to stop in her tracks. "ShadowClan!" she hissed. "There's a patrol nearby."

Tigerstar sniffed. "They're upwind," he informed them. "If we keep moving, they won't know we're here – but we need to hurry and keep moving before they detect us. It's not far to the edge of WindClan's territory."

The odor of ShadowClan grew fainter and fainter as they trekked on at a steady, quick pace. They leaped over rocks, pushed through gorse and heather, and let nothing stand in their way as they headed for Highstones.

Suddenly the edge of the highlands was upon them. Tinypaw paused, noting how drastically Twolegs had changed the landscape here – rolling green hills criss-crossed with their tracks, fields of golden grass, tall and leafy. A few barns dotted here and there, with a large Twoleg home nearby. Twoleg fences lined with sharp wire sectioned off the land, and the Thunderpath cut through the area. Just beyond was a tumble of stones, like half a mountain. Highstones.

"We have to cross the Thunderpath?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw nodded. "Yep."

"Come on!" Tigerstar insisted. "We can be there by moorise if we keep up this pace."

Tinypaw followed him and the others as they headed down the slope and into the Twoleg lands. Tigerstar was heading for the Thunderpath, keeping a fair distance from the farms and the ditches that surrounded them. Prey-scent touched Tinypaw's nose, but Spottedleaf's herbs were helping keep the edge off his hunger.

A barrage of barking and snarling caused Tinypaw and other apprentices to jump. Tinypaw turned to find a group of dogs chained to a post in the ground, barking furiously with slavering jaws and sharp teeth.

"They're tied!" Bluefur assured them. "Not a threat."

Tigerstar led them away quickly.

The barking of the dogs faded as they reached the Thunderpath. Monsters crossed now and again, but it didn't seem terribly busy in the dusky light. Tinypaw wrinkled his nose at the acrid stench.

"We go one at a time," Bluefur decided. "Ravenpaw -"

Ravenpaw's eyes were wide, but Tigerstar interrupted.

_"I_ will go first," he insisted. "It's the apprentice's first time crossing a Thunderpath – they need to see how it's done."

Bluefur stepped back, not protesting. Tigerstar stepped forward, his huge shape dwarfed by the Twoleg monsters. He looked first to his left, then to his right, and when it was quiet he strode across the path.

"Ravenpaw," Bluefur decided. "Go."

Tinypaw moved out of the way as Ravenpaw padded forward, his skinny limbs rattling. He looked left, right, and then left again before he headed out – but a monster, quiet as a mouse, nearly took off his tail. It zoomed past, and when the dust cleared Ravenpaw was on the other side safe and whole.

A long lull let Graypaw cross safely. It was Tinypaw's turn now, and his heart was throbbing in his ears. What if he failed? What if he was killed?

Finally Tinypaw saw his opening. He padded across as fast as he could without tearing his pads off on the stony path. He reached the other side just as a monster crossed, and he collapsed into Graypaw and Ravenpaw, panting.

_That was worse than any nightmare!_ He decided.

Bluefur crossed safely, spitting at the Thunderpath before looking to Tigerstar to head out.

Tigerstar carried on, his Clanmates following. Highstones came into view just as the sun was beginning to set, and the ground beneath Tinypaw's paws changed from grass to stone. Tigerstar stopped them there, just before the great gaping hole in Highstones – Mothermouth.

ThunderClan's leader chose a sun-warmed rock to settle on. He stretched out, eyes closed in thought. "We have arrived," he rumbled. "Hunt if you are hungry, but return here quickly. We will rest until it is time for me to venture into Mothermouth."

Bluefur trekked off without another word. Tinypaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw, relieved to be at their journey's end, headed off in the opposite direction. Prey was surprisingly easy to come by, and each apprentice soon had enough to settle their rumbling stomachs.

They settled down to eat just outside Mothermouth. Bluefur kept to herself, settling near Tigerstar. The apprentices ate in silence, filling their bellies and then huddling together to share tongues as the sun set in the distance and the rocks beneath their paws turned cold. The air was filled with too much anticipation for Tinypaw to shut his eyes for even a moment – Graypaw and Ravenpaw couldn't manage it either.

When the sun was gone completely, Tigerstar stood.

"It is time," he declared.


	18. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

_Tigerstar rose and began striding towards_ Mothermouth. Bluefur rose as well, her eyes flashing, and matched her leader's pace step-for-step.

"I guess it's time," Graypaw meowed. He glanced over at Ravenpaw, who was staring out at the distant hills in the direction they had come. Graypaw prodded Ravenpaw in the shoulder. "Come on!"

When Ravenpaw jumped at Graypaw's touch, Tinypaw flicked his ear. Ravenpaw had hardly said a thing the entire journey – something was definitely on his mind. _Must be worried about ShadowClan,_ Tinypaw decided, _like the rest of us._

It only took the group a few moments to reach the threshold of Mothermouth. Tinypaw peered inside the gaping chasm, only to find that darkness awaited his eyes. His whiskers tickled as a puff of air from down below brushed them. There was an opening somewhere, but Tinypaw knew it wasn't anywhere near them.

Beside him, Bluefur seemed unsettled by the darkness. "How will you find your way in such blackness?" she wondered.

"I know the way," Tigerstar assured her. "Just follow my scent. Ravenpaw, Graypaw, you two will remain outside to keep a look out for intruders. Tinypaw, you will accompany myself and Bluefur into Mothermouth."

Tinypaw pricked his ears. What an honor! Bluefur shifted on her paws, looking from the group to the dark hole before them. A subtle fear-scent drifted from her. Tinypaw blinked – he had never scented fear from his mentor before; what was she so afraid of? Surely it was a thrill to see the Moonstone?

Tigerstar raised his tail, and then disappeared into the blackness without another word. Bluefur sighed and followed. Tinypaw nodded to Graypaw and Ravenpaw before following Bluefur into the dark hole.

Tinypaw instantly felt alone and isolated from the others the moment the cave's roof covered his back. Cold air penetrated his dense fur like claws, freezing his bones and muscles. Tinypaw's breaths were cold and sharp, and he could feel the cold air twisting in his lungs. His whiskers brushed the sides of the cave, and Tinypaw was suddenly beginning to feel very closed-in.

That feeling sent a ripple down his spine from ears to tail, causing his heart to beat in his ears. Suddenly it began feeling like the walls were closing in on him, and he shivered. Focusing on Bluefur's and Tigerstar's scents, he kept up the pace. There _had_ to be an opening somewhere soon.

Just as he was about to think this was a terrible idea – that being down here in this dark, cold, quiet, small, space – he caught a gulp of outside air. It was a tinge warmer than the air around him, smelling of the moorland and stone. His heartbeat slowed – they must be almost there.

He felt the stone walls around him expand, and a pale light filtering in from a hole above outlined the shapes of Bluefur and Tigerstar. Bluefur's ears were tucked against her skull, her eyes wide with worry. The fear scent was becoming stronger.

"Where are we?" Tinypaw asked.

"This is the cavern of the Moonstone," Tigerstar told him. "We will wait here for moonhigh."

Tinypaw strained his eyes to get a better look at the hollow in the ground. The light filtering in through the hole in the roof was growing stronger, and with each moment he saw more. It was a large, round cavern, bigger than the ThunderClan camp, lined with huge pillars of stone and strange, clear, rocks that seemed to reflect the light at dazzling angles.

In the center was a massive one of these stones, as tall as three tail-lengths and as wide as three cats laying side-by-side. Tinypaw could just barely make out his reflection in the shimmering crystal.

_The Moonstone!_ He realized.

As he came to this realization, moonhigh came. A bright shaft of light touched the Moonstone, reflecting out at all angles. These rays bounced off of the stones in the cave, filling the whole hole with a bright white light. The Moonstone shone brightest of all – a brilliant ball of light that caused Tinypaw to clamp his eyes shut in order to keep his eyesight.

Tinypaw dared to open his eyes into slits. The light had calmed down, and his eyes grew adjusted to it as Tigerstar stepped before the Moonstone. His huge, bulky shape was outlined in starlight – but all else was shadows. Tinypaw opened his eyes fully – the sight of the Moonstone in it's full, glowing glory was breathtaking.

Paws pattered and scuffed against the stone, and Tinypaw felt something brush against him, pushing him out of the way. Tinypaw breathed in the scent – Bluefur! Angling his ears back, he could hear his mentors pawsteps echoing off of the stone walls as she fled for the exit.

"Tinypaw?" Tigerstar asked coolly.

"I-I'm still here," Tinypaw told him. His heart began racing – what had frightened Bluefur so? She was the greatest warrior he knew!

Tinypaw blinked at Tigerstar. "Tigerstar…?" he began, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

"Do not be afraid, young warrior," Tigerstar assured him, his rumbling voice soothing Tinypaw. "Bluefur has never done well in tight quarters, and she feels… powerless down here. Here the spirits of StarClan speak, and not all cats are strong enough to handle what they have to say. What do you feel, Tinypaw?"

Tinypaw shifted his paws. "I don't' much like being down here, either," he admitted. "But now that I see the Moonstone – now that I know what's at the end of the tunnel, all I feel is my own curiosity."

"That is good," Tigerstar rumbled.

Tinypaw looked again at the Moonstone. Now his eyes were used to the light, and he realized that the brilliant ball of light he had seen in his dream was this – the Moonstone! His pelt prickled with anticipation.

Tigerstar's great shadow crossed in front of the Moonstone. He lay down, touching his nose to the crystal. Tinypaw watched in awe as his breathing slowed – was he sleeping? According to what Graypaw had said, about leaders spending the night beside the stone, that wasn't so far-fetched of an idea.

Taking a deep breath, Tinypaw settled himself in for a long wait.

Time passed, and Tinypaw began to feel an ache in his bones. As suddenly as the light had come, it left – leaving the cave as dark as it had been before it's arrival. Tinypaw blinked in the darkness, seeing spots.

He could still make out the pale shape of Tigerstar. Tinypaw fidgeted. Was Tigerstar still sleeping? Was it all right to ask? He decided not to break the mystifying silence.

Finally, Tigerstar's shape shuddered. The great tomcat lifted himself off of the ground, his eyes slits.

"Tinypaw?" he rasped.

"Yes," Tinypaw said. His voice sounded louder than normal thanks to not having used it in a while.

"We need to hurry," he growled.

Tinypaw felt the great cat push past him, heading up the tunnel.

"Hurry!" he roared.

Tinypaw, bristling with worry, scrambled to his paws and followed.

* * *

Bluefur, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw were waiting for them as they exited the tunnel. Tigerstar's agitation was obvious – the sight of his bristling fur made Bluefur get to her paws. Her fear-scent was gone, and all traces of the fear-stricken Bluefur were gone. Ravenpaw and Graypaw got to their paws as well, eyes wide.

"Tigerstar!" Bluefur mewed. "What did you learn?"

"We must return to camp immediately," Tigerstar growled.

He began heading down the slope towards the Thunderpath immediately, not bothering to wait for the others. Bluefur's neck fur bristled, and she followed at a quick pace. Graypaw, Tinypaw, and Ravenpaw exchanged a glance before heading down the slope after them.

_What did he see?_ Tinypaw wondered. He had never seen Tigerstar so worried. His pace quickened, and his heart rate increased as suddenly the rest of his nightmarish vision returned to him – the cats fleeing from shadowy foes, and the screech in the night.

A dreadful feeling crawl down his pelt. He thought, _He's right – we _have_ to get back to camp… as soon as possible._


	19. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_They crossed the quiet Thunderpath together_. The sky was dark, but dawn would come soon. The only monster on the path passed by long after the cats had crossed. They pushed their way through the hedge and were making good time heading back to ThunderClan territory.

Tinypaw couldn't help but feel like he was lagging behind – staying up so long left his muscles tired and achy, and Spottedleaf's herbs had worn off long ago. Tigerstar seemed to be full of a vigor that the others lacked, though, because the massive tom was forging ahead with a powerful gait.

"Keep up!" Bluefur called. She was pacing just behind Tigerstar, and Tinypaw could see the tiredness in her eyes. Her steps seemed heavy and occasionally she would sway a little one way or another. Despite this, there was no trace of the Bluefur who was afraid of the Moonstone cavern. She narrowed her eyes at the apprentices and snapped, "Ravenpaw – pick up the pace!"

Tinypaw heard Ravenpaw squeak in the back, and he turned his head to see that his friend was lagging behind. Ravenpaw picked up speed, though, and was beside Tinypaw and Graypaw within a few strides. Ravenpaw's amber eyes were wide and wavering, but he kept his mouth shut and legs moving.

"Are you OK?" Tinypaw asked.

"I'm fine," Ravenpaw managed, not meeting Tinypaw's eyes. "Just a bit tired."

"We all are," Graypaw agreed.

They wasted no time scrambling down a deep ditch. The climb up was nothing for Tigerstar and Bluefur, but it took the apprentices a moment or so longer to reach the other side.

With a little distance put between the apprentices and Tigerstar and Bluefur, Tinypaw asked, "What did Bluefur say when she came out of the tunnel?"

"She said she was just checking on us," Graypaw huffed. "Wanted to make sure we were still guarding the entrance."

Tinypaw frowned. "Did anything seem… off about her?" he wondered. Did they scent her fear?

"Well, she smelled like a damp cave," Graypaw chuckled. "That's about it."

"She seemed jumpy," Ravenpaw confessed.

"She's not the only one!" Graypaw pointed out, glancing at Ravenpaw.

Ravenpaw's eyes somehow grew wider. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Your fur stands up whenever you see her these days," Graypaw told him. "I'm surprised you still _have_ fur, with how you reacted when she came out of that cave."

"I'm sure she just surprised him," Tinypaw offered.

Ravenpaw nodded in agreement. "Mothermouth was _so_ creepy!" he pointed out. "I think a mouse would have scared us if it came out of that cave."

"I'll have to agree with you there, I guess," Graypaw decided, sighing.

They fell silent as they caught up with Tigerstar and Bluefur. Together, the group slipped beneath another hedge. Beyond was a massive cornfield, with rows and rows of tall, stalky, golden, corn turned red by the dawn light peeking over the hills. A long ditch ran around the cornfield's edge, and the cats followed it around the field.

"So, what was the Moonstone like?" Graypaw asked.

"Amazing!" Tinypaw mewed breathlessly, imagining it in his mind's eye. "Probably one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen!"

"Aside from Sandpaw," chuckled Ravenpaw at Tinypaw's other side.

Tinypaw flattened his ears and let out a warning growl. He shook his head and closed his eyes – Ravenpaw was just teasing. The Moonstone really _had_ been beautiful, though… As Tinypaw replayed the events inside Mothermouth in his mind, the rest of his dream came flooding back to him.

He opened his eyes. Tigerstar was right – they _had_ to get back home. Now.

The sun tinged the sky with flame as the cats crawled underneath a fence and began walking along a dirt track that stank of Twoleg. Tigerstar and Bluefur walked ahead together, side-by-side. Tinypaw peered at them in the growing light, wondering if one was leaning on the other or if they were both leaning together.

Sunlight was beginning the dazzle the world when a shape – cat with long, well-kept fur – leaped into their path. Tigerstar and Bluefur stopped just ahead, blocked by the strange black-and-white tomcat.

Tinypaw sniffed – he was no kittypet, but he wasn't a Clan cat either. His fur bristled.

"A loner!" Graypaw hissed.

The apprentices surged forward, claws unsheathed and fur bristling. Tinypaw himself couldn't help but feel very defensive – there was _something_ sinister happening back home. They couldn't afford a loner being in their way.

_An enemy can strike at any time._

Tigerstar raised his tail suddenly, signaling for the apprentices to stop their advance. The three skidded to a dusty halt beside their leader, eyes round at the stout loner before them.

"This is Barley," Tigerstar meowed calmly. "He's a loner who lives in a barn not far from here."

Barley blinked gratefully at Tigerstar. "It's been some time," he meowed. "I'm glad to see you Tigerstar. How are you?"

"Well enough," Tigerstar replied with a smile. "How's the prey been running for you lately?"

Barley's eyes gleamed. "Not so bad," he purred. "One good thing about Twolegs is that there's always mice around – rats, too." He blinked at Tigerstar, and then asked curiously, "You seem in more of a hurry than usual – is everything all right?"

Tinypaw heard a growl brew deep in Bluefur's throat. Tinypaw blinked at his mentor, knowing full well that she didn't trust loners. Hearing one ask about their Clan's business as if it were his own was making the blue-gray she-cat's fur bristle.

"I don't like to be away from my Clan for too long," Tigerstar rumbled in reply.

Barley smiled fondly. "Like a father watching over his kits, you are," he purred. "I respect that."

"What do you want, Barley?" Bluefur snapped.

Barley flashed her a look, his fur ruffling slightly. "I wanted to warn you about the dogs," he replied calmly. "Two of them, running about not far from here. You'd be safer going back through the cornfield instead of past the yard."

Bluefur stamped a foot impatiently. "We know about the dogs," she insisted. "We saw them yesterday -"

"We are grateful for the warning," Tigerstar interrupted. "Thank you, Barley. Until next time?"

Barley nodded, flicking his tail. "Safe travels!" he mewed, before turning away. Tinypaw watched as the stout loner bounded up the track.

Tigerstar turned, back towards the cornfield. "Come," he ordered. The massive tabby pushed his way back underneath the fence and began padding back towards the cornfield. The apprentices followed, but Bluefur was hesitating at the fence.

"You trust that loner?" she asked.

Tigerstar stopped walking, turning to face her. "You would rather face dogs?" he asked, a brow raised.

"They were tied up earlier," Bluefur reminded him.

"They may be untied now," Tigerstar said curtly. "We go this way."

Bluefur sighed and ducked herself beneath the fence.

The sun was in the sky now, its light gleaming off of the dewy grass. The cool droplets felt good on Tinypaw's paws, cool against his already-hot pelt. This day would be as warm as the last, if not warmer.

They walked beside the ditches once again, keeping the fence to their other side. The ditch was deep in places, with long stalks of grass and nettles clinging to the sides. A bit of water was at the bottom, but it was drying up in the sunshine. Prey-scent filtered from the gully, and Tinypaw's nose scrunched at the slightly bitter odor.

_I've smelled that before,_ he thought. _But when?_

Behind him sounded an earsplitting squeal. Tinypaw turned and spotted Ravenpaw writhing on the ground, wrestling with claws unsheathed against a fat brown body clinging to his shoulder.

"Rats!" Graypaw howled.

"There are rats in these ditches!" Bluefur called. "Barley sent us into a trap!"

Before they could move another step they were surrounded. Then, they were engulfed in a sea of writhing, biting rats with gleaming, sharp, gnashing, teeth.

One leaped, teeth flashing, and landed on Tinypaw's shoulder. Sharp pain coursed through his body as the rat bit deep into his flesh. He gasped as another latched itself onto one of his hind legs.

Tinypaw ground his teeth together, rolling onto the ground. Rats were nowhere near as strong as he was, but they had a powerful bite and he knew how quickly they could get infected. He began writhing and rolling, trying to dislodge the one in his shoulder. Above the noise he was making, the yowls, hisses, and spits told him that the others were being attacked, too.

He managed to pop off the rat that held onto his shoulder, and he turned to quickly slice it open with his claws. Then, Tinypaw reached with his legs to pull off the other attached to his leg – but as soon as that one was dead, another took its place on his tail.

Tinypaw let out a frustrated screech as another rat latched onto his shoulder. Lashing his tail with all his might, he turned and pulled the newest rat off by its tail. He flung it back into the ditch. Another rat took that one's place, latching onto his back.

Spinning and slashing, he tried his best – but the best he could do was snag his claw into the tail of the rat clinging to his tail-tip. At this angle, he couldn't pull off the rat. He felt them biting, chewing, gnawing at his body – another sank its teeth into his leg, and another held tight to his shoulder.

White flashed before Tinypaw's eyes – and suddenly Tinypaw felt relief. The rat on his back had been torn off, and when Tinypaw turned he spotted Barley tossing it back into the ditch.

Barley nodded at him before he tore the rat off of Tinypaw's tail. With that rat gone, the black-and-white loner set to work on Tigerstar. Tinypaw's heart nearly stopped with horror – his leader, big as he was, was nearly _covered_ in rats – but Barley was picking them off, one by one, expertly killing them with one bite.

_Barley's got Tigerstar,_ Tinypaw assured himself, digging his claws into the rat on his shoulder. He flung it into the ditch, like Barley had. Tinypaw bit into the rat that remained on his body, cracking its spine between his teeth like he would any piece of fresh-kill. He dropped that one where it landed before going to help Graypaw and Ravenpaw.

Ravenpaw was easy to help – there was only one rat the skinny black tom couldn't reach – just at the base of his neck, between his shoulders. Tinypaw tore it off, killing it and flinging it back into the ditch. Together, they turned to Graypaw.

Graypaw was being attacked by two rats, both smaller. They were weaving around the fluffy gray tom, nipping and biting. At the sight of two new opponents, the rats fled themselves, streaking under the fence and across the track.

"They're fleeing!" Bluefur called. She had a rat clinging to her chest, but she quickly dispatched it. "Chase them back where they came from!"

Ravenpaw and Graypaw obeyed, screeching and hollering at the rats with their fur fluffed up. Ravenpaw had never looked so brave when he leaped at the rats, claws unsheathed. The rest puffed up and fled, streaming back into the ditch.

While they were at that, Tinypaw rushed over to help Barley. Tigerstar's body was clear of rats, but the massive tom was covered with bites and blood. Tinypaw's heart was pounding in his ears, and his throat went dry when he saw the big wound at the back of his leader's neck.

"Tigerstar?" he called.

A loud growl came from behind Tinypaw. A streak of blue soared through the air, and, bloodied though she was, Bluefur had Barley pinned to the ground in an instant.

"You sent us into a _trap!"_ she spat, her blue eyes furious.

"I didn't know the rats were here!" Barley insisted, scrabbling at the ground. Bluefur was not heavy – but Tinypaw knew from experience that there was no escaping her once she had you pinned.

"Why did you send us this way?" Bluefur demanded, teeth bared.

"D-Dogs! The dogs!"

"The dogs were tied last night!" Bluefur spat back.

"The Twoleg _unties_ them during the day!" Barley spat back.

"Bluefur!" Tinypaw called, loudly. Bluefur looked away from Barley. "Tigerstar is hurt!"

Bluefur released Barley at once. The black-and-white loner huffed for breath as he stood, eyes wide at the she-cat. Ravenpaw and Graypaw emerged from the ditch near him, eyes round at Tigerstar. There were little nettle leaves stuck to Ravenpaw's flanks.

The warrior sniffed Tigerstar's wounds. She sat down, head bowed, and closed her eyes.

"Is there anything we can do?" Tinypaw asked.

"He is in the paws of StarClan now," Bluefur meowed solemnly.

Tinypaw looked down at his leader in shock. Tigerstar's flanks were moving, but not very fast – was he dying? As Tinypaw watched, Tigerstar's eyes twitched, and his breathing stopped. A stillness settled all around, and even the breeze stopped.

"He's…" Ravenpaw swallowed. "Is he… dead?"

"We will have to wait and see," Bluefur meowed. Her eyes were still closed.

Tinypaw shivered as he settled in to wait. He prayed to himself for StarClan to bring Tigerstar back to his Clan – they needed him now, more than ever, and if he was dead, what were they going to do?

Tigerstar stirred.

Tinypaw looked down, relief and joy flooding his body. Tigerstar opened one great amber eye and groaned.

"Tigerstar?" Tinypaw asked.

"I'm all right," Tigerstar rasped. "I've lost a life – but it wasn't my ninth."

A breath of relief seemed to pass through the world.

"Right," Bluefur mewed curtly. She was expressionless as she ordered, "Ravenpaw – get cobwebs. Graypaw – marigold or horsetail; find it and bring it here."

The two apprentices dashed off.

Bluefur, without looking at Barley, growled, "I think you ought to leave now, Barley."

Barley flicked an ear, his expression full of irritation. Tinypaw threw him a grateful look, and the loner's face softened. Barley gave a small nod before padding away.

"Is everyone all right?" Tigerstar asked hoarsely.

Bluefur nodded.

Ravenpaw was back first, a paw wrapped in cobwebs. He held it out awkwardly and mewed, "Here."

Tinypaw looked up at Bluefur. "I can put them on," he told the warrior. "Yellowfang showed me how."

Bluefur only nodded. She said nothing as she picked herself up and stood like a sentinel at the lip of the ditch, eyes glued to its depths in search of rats.

Tinypaw teased the cobwebs off of Ravenpaw's paw and then pressed it firmly into Tigerstar's wounds. The massive tom flinched and hissed.

"Those rats would have eaten me alive had it not been for Bluefur," his meowed, his voice pained as Tinypaw set to work on his wounds.

"It wasn't Bluefur who saved you," Tinypaw admitted. "It was Barley." He kept his voice down, not wanting Bluefur to hear. He teased more cobwebs from Ravenpaw's paw and pressed them on another wound.

"Barley?" Tigerstar wondered, ears pricked. "Is he here?"

Tinypaw shook his head. "Bluefur sent him away – she thinks he sent us into a trap!" he meowed.

"What do you think?" Tigerstar rasped.

Tinypaw swallowed. He pressed the last bit of cobweb into Tigerstar's wounds before he replied, "Barley's just a loner – he doesn't care for Clan ways. What would he have to gain from sending us into a trap, just to rescue us from it?"

Tigerstar said nothing – but he laid his head down and closed his eyes.

Graypaw was back by then, horsetail stalks in his jaws. Tinypaw took them from him and chewed them up just how Yellowfang taught him. He trickled the juice onto Tigerstar's wounds, frowning as the massive leader flinched.

_I'm glad I'm not really a medicine cat,_ Tinypaw realized as he finished up. _I can't stand the look of cats in so much pain… and I really can't stand the taste of those herbs!_ Spottedleaf would take a look at him though, when they returned. Spottedleaf would make Tigerstar feel much better.

"We should rest here while Tigerstar recovers," Bluefur meowed.

"No!" Tigerstar huffed. He pushed himself up and onto his paws. "We press on. We _must_ return home."

Though the massive tabby was severely wounded, Tinypaw couldn't help but agree. All the signs were pointing towards something terrible happening back home, and Tinypaw couldn't bear to wonder any longer what it was.

Tigerstar turned away and began walking again, padding along the ditch. Anxiously, Bluefur shouldered her way between Tigerstar and the ditch. Tinypaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw followed – more tired now than they were when they had left Mothermouth in the dark.

"It's been some time since you've lost a life, Tigerstar," Bluefur whispered. Tinypaw's ears pricked, catching his mentor's hushed words. "How many have you lost now?"

Tigerstar was silent for a moment.

"That was my fifth," their leader replied, quietly.

Bluefur said nothing more – but she padded on, her pawsteps uneven and her tail-tip twitching in thought.


	20. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"_You won't find any ShadowClan warriors_ about today," Tigerstar rasped.

Bluefur threw him a glance. Tinypaw blinked at his leader, wondering how he could know such a thing. Wind whistled in their ears, pressing their fur as flat as the moorland grass all around them. They were in WindClan territory, and sunhigh had come and gone.

They were all exhausted – beaten, tired, and ready to head for home. The rats had done their damage, and Tinypaw's limbs were on fire with pain. Graypaw was favoring one leg, and Ravenpaw was staggering. Bluefur was injured as well, but she did her best not to show her pain.

Tigerstar was the worst of them – his thick tabby fur was clotted with dried blood, and the hodge-podge poultice that Tinypaw had put on the worst of his wounds had long since been blown off by the harsh moorland winds. His legs were trembling with the weight of his body – but his eyes, his eyes burned with an amber flame like the sun.

Bluefur sniffed the air regardless. "You're sure?" she asked. "Their stink still hovers here, strong as ever."

Tigerstar didn't reply. He merely led the way to Fourtrees. Tinypaw couldn't help but feel relieved when the trees closed over his head – their long journey was over, and they were finally in ThunderClan territory. The bedraggled travelers passed through Fourtrees and set paw in ThunderClan's woodsfor the first time in what felt like ages.

But something was wrong.

"I still smell ShadowClan," Graypaw announced, wrinkling his nose.

Tigerstar's ears were pricked, and he stopped for just a moment to smell the air. Tinypaw did the same. Graypaw was right – the air was rank with the smell of ShadowClan.

All around him, there small, subtle signs – twigs broken, bracken flattened unnaturally, no prey-scent… Tinypaw's fur bristled. What could it mean?

"Maybe… Maybe the wind carried it down from the moors?" Ravenpaw wondered, his eyes wide and body shaking.

Tinypaw shook his head. "The wind isn't blowing the right way for that," he pointed out.

The fur along Tigerstar's spine suddenly rippled with anger and tension.

"Quick!" he yowled. "We came too late – it is as StarClan warned me. ShadowClan is attacking our camp!"

Bluefur needed no orders to run – as soon as the words were out of Tigerstar's mouth, she was gone, nothing but a blue streak in the undergrowth. Tinypaw surged after his mentor, ignoring the pain in his joints. From the feverish sound of undergrowth rustling, he could tell the others were not far behind.

The sounds of battle grew louder and louder as they drew nearer to the camp. The sounds of yowling, screeching warriors and the terrified wailing of kits bounced off of every tree and into Tinypaw's ear fur. He could almost hear every claw swipe or the snapping of ShadowClan jaws.

Tinypaw was right behind Bluefur as they burst into the ThunderClan camp.

The clearing was alive with a frenzy of fighting cats. Rolling, tumbling, writhing – the clearing was full of the different pelts of ThunderClan warriors as they wrestled with ShadowClan intruders. Blood splashed the well-trodden ground, bright red against browns and greens. Tufts of fur littered the ground. Dens and walls were broken down in tangles around the camp, with only the Highrock standing resolute and undamaged.

In every corner of the camp, there were ThunderClan cats fighting for their lives. Frostfur and Oakheart were defending the nursery from two vicious ShadowClan warriors. Brindleface was fighting with Darkstripe, though she was close to kitting, near the elder's den. The elders themselves – ones that could still manage to fight – were taking turns snapping at a big tortoiseshell that was twice their size and speed.

The returning cats flung themselves into battle with a great roar of fury from Tigerstar. Tinypaw leaped onto a tabby warrior queen, digging his claws into her flanks and drawing blood.

She whirled on him, teeth bared and claws ready to strike – but Tinypaw was too small and quick. He managed to dodge her blows and deliver a decisive slice to her collarbone before watching her streak for the entrance.

Near him, Graypaw and Ravenpaw had teamed up to fight a big dark brown ShadowClan tom. Ravenpaw nipped his heels, while Graypaw swatted their opponent's face with his claws. They sent him running soon, and then went to help Dustpaw and Sandpaw near the medicine cat's den. Bluefur was fighting beside Whitestorm – the two reared up on their hind legs to drive away a fierce cream ShadowClan she-cat.

Tigerstar himself let out a great roar as he scored his long, hooked claws down the side of a ShadowClan warrior. Blood splashed through the air and, for a moment Tinypaw wondered if Tigerstar's blow had killed his opponent – but the ShadowClan cat streaked for the exit, bleeding heavily from the side, before Tigerstar could strike again. The great leader raised his head and yowled a battle cry.

Tinypaw turned his attention back to the battle. A flash of white caught his eye – Tinypaw spotted a big white tom just behind the nursery, with huge black paws. To his horror, the white tom was scooping out kits from a hole torn into the nursery wall. He had two of Frostfur's already, and was reaching for a third.

A flash of ginger alerted him – one of the elders was trying to stop him! Tinypaw wanted to yowl a warning – this was Blackfoot, deputy of ShadowClan! No elder ought to take him on alone – but Rosetail sliced her claws down Blackfoot's shoulder, hissing in defiance.

Blackfoot rounded on the old she-cat and struck her down with one paw. She landed, dazed, hitting the ground with a _thump._ Blackfoot wasted no time in tearing out her throat, ending the elder's life. Tinypaw let out a shriek of fury.

He leaped across the camp, claws unsheathed, and barreled straight into Blackfoot. Rage and fury fueled Tinypaw as he scored his claws down Blackfoot's body, tearing at any patch of white fur he could reach – but Blackfoot's coat, though thin, disguised a wall of muscle. Tinypaw was bounded back easily, like a bothersome kit.

Tinypaw landed on his side in the dust. He pushed himself up, spotting Blackfoot returning to the nursery despite his fresh wounds. Tinypaw let out a cry when he saw Blackfoot scooping out another kit, and Tinypaw forced himself to stand. He charged again at Blackfoot, pushing him away from the kits with all his might.

"Don't you ever give up, you little wretch?" Blackfoot cursed, leaping away from Tinypaw.

"Stay _away_ from those kits!" Tinypaw snarled, fluffing himself up.

Around them, the battle was dying down. A few ShadowClan warriors remained in the camp, and they were well on their way out of the camp themselves. Whitestorm, Oakheart, Bluefur, and Darkstripe were cleaning up the rabble, hissing and spitting as they pushed the remaining warriors out.

Tinypaw lashed his tail.

"You really think you can handle me?" Blackfoot spat. "You're nothing more than a kit!"

"Enough!"

Tinypaw's ears pricked. Yellowfang!

The old she-cat grasped Blackfoot's haunches between her claws and clamped her jaws down onto the deputy's ear. Blackfoot let out a screech.

"Traitor!" he screamed. "I'll kill you!"

"Not today," Yellowfang snapped.

She delivered a heavy blow to Blackfoot's side, but the deputy turned and struck her in the face. Tinypaw hissed and leaped, grasping the paw that had struck Yellowfang within his jaws. He bit down as hard as he possibly could, tasting blood.

"Get off!" Blackfoot spat. "I'll kill you, too!"

"You'll do no such thing!" Yellowfang hissed.

The gray she-cat shook off the blow and slammed her body into Blackfoot's, dislodging Tinypaw. Tinypaw rolled on the ground, teeth aching, and lay in the clearing, dizzily watching Yellowfang and Blackfoot wrestle.

As Tinypaw's vision cleared, he realized that Yellowfang _knew_ how Blackfoot fought. She dodged every one of his huge blows, delivering little bites and scratches of her own. This was a she-cat who knew the cats of ShadowClan down to the way their fur parted, it seemed, and though Tinypaw could tell she wasn't trying to kill her former Clanmate, her eyes burned with the desire to protect the kits of ThunderClan – and Tinypaw, too.

Soon enough, Blackfoot had more scratches than he would have liked to deal with. He spat at Yellowfang before pushing her away with powerful paws and fleeing.

With Blackfoot gone, the rest of the warriors were cleared up quickly. Soon enough, all that remained were panting, tired, hungry, weary, ThunderClan warriors and a devastated clearing. The queens immediately ran to the nursery, and Tinypaw pushed himself to his paws anxiously to await their return. Soon enough the mewls of fear were replaced with joy and happiness, and Tinypaw knew that all was safe and well.

It didn't need to be stated – one by one the cats of ThunderClan gathered beneath the Highrock to lick their wounds and contemplate what had happened. Tigerstar leaped onto the rock and, though he was wounded, he made an impressive shape in the light.

Tinypaw settled near Graypaw, breathing a sigh of relief that now, maybe, they could rest.

Frostfur weaved her way through the crowd, Yellowfang limping just behind her. The white queen lifted her eyes to Tigerstar, her blue eyes shimmering with emotion.

"Tigerstar," she meowed, her voice choked with gratitude, "it's thanks to Yellowfang that our kits – _my_ kits – are safe. ShadowClan warriors were attempting to steal our kits, and Yellowfang… she stopped them. They killed Rosetail, poor Rosetail, but Yellowfang stopped them."

Tinypaw spoke up, "It wasn't just any ShadowClan warrior – it was Blackfoot!"

Gasps came from the crowd. Yellowfang sighed and mewed, "Don't discredit yourself, Tinypaw – you helped too."

"Not so much as you," Tinypaw told her. He threw her a look – _she_ deserved the praise of the Clan, not him.

"The deputy!" Brindleface gasped in horror. She curled her tail around herself tightly, around the unborn kits she had fought to protect.

The crowd stirred as Oakheart pushed his way through. The bracken-colored tom's expression was grim, and he looked to the Clan.

"Spottedleaf is with Lionheart," he announced. "It looks bad."

Tinypaw's heart dropped, and he felt a rush of air as Graypaw pushed past him. Tinypaw and Ravenpaw followed, and Oakheart stepped out of the way as they went to help their friend. Tinypaw's ears rang with the cry of anguish he had heard in his dream.

Moments later, that very cry split the air. Tinypaw stopped in his tracks, eyes wide as his blood ran cold. Graypaw's mournful keening filled the air as Spottedleaf stepped away from the limp, golden-brown body of Lionheart.

_It _was_ him,_ Tinypaw thought. _Oh, no…_

Tinypaw surged forward to press his pelt against his friend. Graypaw pressed his nose into Lionheart's matted, bloody fur and let out a sob of grief.

Spottedleaf dipped her head, the shadow of the Highrock falling over her. "There's nothing more I can do," she murmured, regretfully. "He walks with StarClan now."

Tinypaw sat with Graypaw until the sun began to sink behind the trees, its redness setting the camp ablaze with the colors of evening. When Graypaw raised his head, the first stars of Silverpelt were appearing in the sky.

"H-He's… He's _gone,"_ Graypaw wailed.

Tinypaw felt grief puling at his bones as he watched Graypaw settle into the position of mourning beside his mentor. Slowly, other cats began to come and join him in mourning their deputy – and Rosetail, too. The memory of his first night in the camp flashed through Tinypaw's mind – Redtail's death, and the mourning that followed…

It was all so far away now.

This time, Tinypaw joined them. He pressed his nose into Lionheart's thick neck fur and murmured, "You weren't my mentor, but you taught me so much… you brought me here. Thank you, Lionheart. I'll never forget you."

He sat beside Graypaw then, with nothing left to say. He began gently grooming his friend's ears. On his other side was Ravenpaw, who was shaking with worry and grief.

"No," the black cat mumbled. "No, no… not again… no…"

Tinypaw tuned him out.

When the moon was in the sky, Tigerstar leaped down from the Highledge. Tinypaw looked up as the massive tabby tom padded towards Lionheart. The warriors parted for him. Tinypaw's eyes widened – for the first time, Tigerstar did not look so big and mighty, like the powerful cats of old. He looked tired, defeated, _old._ The anguish in his eyes was painful to see.

Tigerstar flopped down onto the ground, pressing his nose into his deputy's fur.

Bluefur and Oakheart had approached only briefly to share tongues. Bluefur left Lionheart's body after whispering something to his spirit, but Oakheart stayed, sitting beside Brindleface. Bluefur stalked to the edge of the clearing and laid down, her head on her paws. Her blue eyes were not focused on Lionheart, but on Ravenpaw.

Tinypaw wondered why.

As the moon rose, Spottedleaf did her work. She visited each cat, even the mourners, tending to their wounds. She made several trips back to her den, and Tinypaw thought it would be morning before she was done – but she managed to get it all done before moonhigh. She even managed to tend to Tigerstar, who refused her twice and only allowed her to tend to him when the others were looked after.

It was only after Spottedleaf was done that Tigerstar hauled himself up and onto the Highrock. Most of the mourners – Tinypaw and Ravenpaw included – had gotten up and moved a distance away from Lionheart's and Rosetail's bodies, to give those that were closest to the deceased more personal time. The other cats, ones who weren't mourning, were expecting this – they were all already sitting below the Highrock's dark shadow.

"It is moonhigh," Tigerstar announced, "and it is my duty – much, much too soon – to appoint another deputy."

The sound of sorrow in Tigerstar's voice nearly broke Tinypaw's heart.

"I say this before the body of Lionheart, so that his spirit may hear and approve of my choice," he rumbled. "I… I have not forgotten how one warrior avenged the death of Redtail. ThunderClan needs this fearless loyalty now, more than ever."

Tinypaw's ears pricked. Ravenpaw stiffened beside him. Was he really about to…?

Loud and clear, Tigerstar announced, "Bluefur will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Tinypaw spotted his mentor in the crowd, her blue head turned silver by the moonlight. Her blue eyes were wide, but she raised her head and padded up to the Highrock as yowls of approval – the loudest from Oakheart, Darkstripe, and Longtail – cheered her on. Even Whitestorm was nodding in approval.

Bluefur leaped onto the Highrock, standing beside Tigerstar. She lifted her head and announced, "ThunderClan – it is my great honor to accept this position. By the spirit of Lionheart, I vow to serve you all as best as I can."

More yowls of approval – even Tinypaw was smiling proudly at his mentor. She was deputy now!

But one voice did not agree with the others.

"No," Ravenpaw breathed. "No… Oh, no… Not her. Tigerstar should _never_ have chosen her…"

Tinypaw looked down at his friend. The skinny black tom was shaking so much that Tinypaw was surprised he was speaking as coherently as he was.

"What are you talking about?" Tinypaw demanded. Why _shouldn't_ Bluefur be deputy? What was going on in Ravenpaw's head?

Ravenpaw turned his gaze to Tinypaw. "You don't _see_ it?" he asked, trembling. "You don't… You haven't figured it out? Bluefur… Bluefur's wanted to be deputy ever since… ever since…"

"Spit it out!" Tinypaw growled.

"Ever since she _took care_ of Redtail!" Ravenpaw hissed.

" 'Took care'?" Tinypaw repeated. "What… what does _that_ mean?"

Tinypaw's mind was suddenly a whirl of questions. What did Ravenpaw mean? His mind suddenly flashed back to the Gathering – Bluefur's and Ravenpaw's stories about the battle with RiverClan hadn't matched up. But from the way Ravenpaw was trembling…

_He can't mean that… that _Bluefur_ killed Redtail?_ Tinypaw thought. _Can he…?_


	21. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"_Ravenpaw, what is it that you _mean?" Tinypaw wondered.

Ravenpaw opened his mouth, but another voice silenced him.

"I don't think now is the time for one of your stories, Ravenpaw," Bluefur growled. She had leaped off of the Highrock now that the congratulations were over. The new deputy stared frostily at Ravenpaw. "Show some respect for the deceased!"

Ravenpaw let out a whimper and quailed in Bluefur's shadow.

"He was just talking about how he wished you had been able to protect Lionheart," Tinypaw insisted. "That's all."

Bluefur narrowed her eyes. "I wish that, too," she meowed. "But now is not the time."

She turned and walked away. Tinypaw watched her sit beside Oakheart, who gave her a hearty lick of congratulations. When her expression didn't change, Oakheart nudged her and then went to sit beside Lionheart and Rosetail.

"Ravenpaw," Tinypaw began. He turned to his friend, but the black tom was shakily heading for Graypaw's side.

Tinypaw watched as Ravenpaw huddled up next to Graypaw, pressing himself into his friend's pelt as if he were cold. Tinypaw sighed, feeling confused and alone – but without anything else to do, he sat on Graypaw's other side and prepared to wait out the night.

The moon passed overhead, and other cats came and went. Tigerstar came last, gazing at his dead deputy with such sadness that it made Tinypaw feel awful to look at him.

When the rosy tint of dawn peeked over the horizon, the elders came to bury Lionheart and Rosetail. They hefted their bodies between them and, with Graypaw and Speckletail following, headed out of the camp to place their bodies to rest.

Leaf-fall chill touched Tinypaw to the bone, and he shook it off. There would still be warm days to come, but leaf-fall was settling in and soon it would be in the forest for good, turning the leaves red and cooling the air.

Ravenpaw hefted himself up before Tinypaw could speak to him. The black apprentice hurried to the apprentice's den, and only then Tinypaw realized just how exhausted he was, too. Aching and weary, Tinypaw decided to save his questions for later. Ravenpaw wouldn't talk now.

Tinypaw headed for the apprentice's den and settled down without saying a word. He was too tired, and sleep came quickly once he'd settled down on his mossy bed.

* * *

"Hey!" meowed a voice. "Wake up!"

Tinypaw opened his eyes. For a moment, he was dazzled by the sunlight on Sandpaw's pale coat – the way it made her eyes gleam caused him to stop and stare at her.

"Tigerstar's called a meeting," Sandpaw told him, oblivious to his fascination. "Hurry up… you'll miss it." She ducked out of the ferns.

Her voice caused Ravenpaw and Graypaw to stir nearby. Ravenpaw's ears pricked and he yawned – but Graypaw looked as if he still needed a nights' rest after quietly slinking into the den. Dustpaw was already up.

The three apprentices were out soon after, settling in at the edge of the crowd. Every cat was up and beneath the Highrock, it seemed. Tinypaw looked up and couldn't help but feel a twinge of confused pride at seeing Bluefur up there, standing beside Tigerstar – Ravenpaw's statements the night before kept him from being completely proud of his mentor.

Sunhigh had come and gone, and a cool air drifted through the forest. Tinypaw's stomach rumbled, and he wondered when he had eaten last – before the journey to Moonstone, no doubt. It seemed like forever ago that he had been standing before that brilliant ball of light. Hopefully Bluefur would let him hunt today.

The three apprentices seemed to be the last to join the crowd – once they arrived, Bluefur began to speak:

"During the battle, Tigerstar lost another one of his lives," she announced.

_Really?_ Tinypaw thought. He had been so busy wrestling with Blackfoot he must have missed it.

"Now that he only has four of his nine lives left, I will be appointing a guard to stand by his side," Bluefur went on. "No one will approach without their consent! With ShadowClan getting more and more daring, we cannot risk the lives of our leader. Darkstripe and Longtail will serve as Tigerstar's guards."

It was impossible to miss Darkstripe and Longtail both raising their heads. Tinypaw rolled his eyes.

Tigerstar's voice was a low rumble of thunder compared to Bluefur's lighter voice. "Bluefur, that isn't necessary – but I admire your loyalty. ShadowClan aimed for the nursery when they attacked, trying to steal our kits. I should think that the safety of the Clan's kits means more than my own safety."

Bluefur blinked at him, and then dipped her head. "Very well," she meowed. "Darkstripe and Longtail will guard you, but there will always be one cat on watch by the nursery… just in case ShadowClan tries to strike again."

Tigerstar flattened his ears. "I accept this," he decided. "Though the safety of the whole Clan means more than the safety of one individual member, our kits are our future and must be protected. This brings me to my next topic – I would like to ask Yellowfang to join ThunderClan."

Tinypaw's ears pricked in surprise. Tigerstar's amber eyes rested on Tinypaw first, giving a tiny nod before he moved on to look at Frostfur and the others queens, with whom Yellowfang sat. Frostfur nodded back at Tigerstar, her blue eyes shimmering.

"Her actions last night proved that she is brave and loyal," Tigerstar went on. "If she wishes it, I would welcome her as a full member of the Clan."

Tinypaw's breath caught in his throat as Yellowfang stepped forward and meowed, "It would be an honor, Tigerstar. I accept your offer."

"Good," Tigerstar decided firmly.

Tinypaw couldn't help but purr, catching Yellowfang's eye as she stepped back. For once, the old she-cat looked embarrassed. Tinypaw told himself to go and see her later, to welcome her to the Clan.

"Last night," Tigerstar went on, "we successfully repelled a ShadowClan raid – make no mistake, they are still a great threat. The repairs began this morning will continue, and our borders must be patrolled constantly. We will not be caught unawares in this war again – it will not end with ThunderClan's defeat."

Bluefur nodded in agreement.

"ShadowClan picked a real _opportune_ time to attack yesterday," Darkstripe pointed out. The whole of the Clan looked at the dark warrior. "They attacked while Tigerstar and Bluefur were gone – not to mention some of our apprentices. How could they have known that the camp was so poorly defended?"

Bluefur narrowed her eyes.

Tigerstar rumbled, "Are you insinuating that they may have eyes inside of our camp?"

"It is possible – while all of us are loyal, we cannot rule out any possibilities," Bluefur agreed, her eyes fixed on the crowd. "If anyone has any information regarding this possible informant you can come to myself or Tigerstar. We will ensure your anonymity."

Tinypaw tilted his head. Bluefur's gaze was fixed on something… someone. Tinypaw followed her gaze and realized that her frosty eyes were focused solely on Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw seemed to feel the weight of her gaze, and he shifted uncomfortably.

_What is she getting at?_ Tinypaw wondered. _Does she think that Ravenpaw betrayed the Clan? He was with us the whole time… wasn't he?_

"We still have a while before sunset," Tigerstar announced, bringing the meeting to a close. "Our repairs must continue – please, carry on with your hard work. I will join you shortly."

The meeting ended, and Bluefur and Tigerstar leaped off of the Highrock. They sat in its shadow, murmuring to one another.

"Ravenpaw!" Tinypaw called.

Ravenpaw was already gone, hurrying to Halftail and Whitestorm – the cats who seemed to be organizing the repairs. A few words and Ravenpaw was gone, out into the woods. Tinypaw lashed his tail – why was Ravenpaw avoiding every attempt to talk?

"We should go help," Graypaw suggested dully. Tinypaw turned – his friends eyes were dull and his voice was tired.

"I… I'll catch up," Tinypaw offered. "I'm going to go check on Yellowfang – Blackfoot was a nasty fighter."

Graypaw shrugged, and then walked off. He didn't seem in the mood for talking much today, either.

Tinypaw sighed, making his way to Yellowfang. The old she-cat was huddled up in the shade, in her nest by the fallen tree. She was staring thoughtfully into the distance, her whiskers twitching occasionally.

Her eyes flashed when he approached. "Tinypaw," she mewed, "I'm glad you're here."

_Finally, someone who seems happy to talk to me!_ Tinypaw thought.

"I wanted to see if you were all right," Tinypaw said.

Yellowfang grinned, "Old habits die harder than old scents, eh?"

"I suppose," Tinypaw agreed. "How's your leg?"

Yellowfang grimaced, moving the injured leg. "That bite of yours is playing up. Blackfoot hit me hard there but it's nothing I can't handle," she replied. "How are _you?_ Blackfoot is a brainless bully, but he hits hard."

"I'm fine," Tinypaw replied. "My shoulder hurts a little, but that might be from the three rats that were trying to rip me apart yesterday."

Yellowfang's ears pricked. "Rats!" she hissed. "Vile things, they are."

"I'm not surprised Tigerstar asked you to join the Clan," Tinypaw told her. "You certainly showed your loyalty last night!"

Yellowfang blinked. "Perhaps… perhaps a truly loyal cat ought to have fought on the side of the Clan she had been born in?" she murmured.

Tinypaw tilted his head. "Then I would be fighting for my Twolegs!" he burst.

Yellowfang purred with amusement. "How silly!" she thought. "But… you've always been able to lift my spirits."

Tinypaw gave her a smile. Then, he asked, "Do you miss ShadowClan?"

"I miss the _old_ ShadowClan," Yellowfang replied. "I miss when Raggedstar was leader – he didn't fight dirty. He was honorable, strong… he had his moments – every cat does – but he always did what was best for his Clan in accordance to the warrior code."

Yellowfang's eyes became distant when she went on, "Brokenstar… Brokenstar always knew how to give a good speech. He made a group of kits believe that a mouse was a rabbit for three whole moons! I was… blind. Too blind."

She sighed, eyes swimming with memories.

Tinypaw frowned. He didn't like seeing her so upset. "I… I bet you can't guess who the new ShadowClan medicine cat is!" he mewed.

Yellowfang frowned. "Not Runningnose!" she scoffed.

Tinypaw nodded.

Purring, Yellowfang remarked, "But he can't even cure his own cold!"

They purred in amusement. "Graypaw said that, too," Tinypaw pointed out. _It feels good to laugh,_ he thought. It felt like he hadn't heard anything funny in a while.

He got to his paws. "I'll leave you to rest," he said. "Call if you need anything, OK?"

Yellowfang nodded. Then, just as Tinypaw was about to leave, her eyes flashed suddenly. "Tinypaw!" she rasped. "You mentioned rats – did they draw blood?"

"Spottedleaf treated us all with marigold yesterday," Tinypaw assured her with a flick of his tail.

Yellowfang shook her head. "Sometimes it's not enough," she meowed. "Go find a patch of wild garlic to roll in – it ought to draw out any remaining infections. I heard Halftail talking about a patch near the camp entrance. Though," she said dryly, "your denmates might not thank me for the smell!"

"I'll keep that in mind," Tinypaw purred.

"Go carefully," Yellowfang offered, before resting her head on her paws.

_I will,_ he promised. _But my road seems destined to be pitted with stones and obstacles…_

Tinypaw decided to follow her advice, feeling the sting in his shoulder. Jaws open for the scent, he slipped out through a broken down part of the barrier and headed for the camp entrance from the outside. The tang of garlic had just touched his scent glands when a dark shape blocked his path.

"Where do you think you're going?" Darkstripe growled, his eyes flashing.

"Yellowfang mentioned I should -"

"You don't take orders from that rogue!" Darkstripe spat. "Go help with the repairs – no cat is to leave the camp tonight!"

Tinypaw sighed. "Yes, Darkstripe," he meowed submissively. Darkstripe lifted his head, satisfied, and padded off. Under his breath, Tinypaw growled, _"Dirt_stripe."

He headed for the boundary, where Graypaw and Ravenpaw were busy patching one of the great holes torn near the nursery. Tinypaw slipped through, sighing.

"How's Yellowfang?" Graypaw asked. His tone was a little quieter – Tinypaw could hear the queens putting the kits to bed just inside the nursery.

"She's good," Tinypaw replied, pawing some sticks into a pile. "Yellowfang mentioned that wild garlic would be good for our rat bites. I was on my way to get some but Darkstripe caught me."

"Garlic, eh?" Graypaw wondered. He flexed his leg. "I could use some of that myself, I think. My leg still stings."

"I could go out and try again," Tinypaw meowed. "Darkstripe lumbers about – it wouldn't be too hard to slip past him." He relished the idea of sneaking around that arrogant tom. He was sick of the warrior's resentment towards him and Yellowfang.

Ravenpaw frowned, but Graypaw said, "Go on – we'll cover for you. Don't be too long, though."

"I won't," Tinypaw promised.

He touched his nose to Graypaw's gratefully, and then leaped out of the hole.

The moon was rising as Tinypaw padded towards the wild garlic patch. The sharp tang was getting stronger, and he figured he ought to be close –he kept his ears pricked for Darkstripe, or anyone else. The wind shifted suddenly, the cold breeze snaking between his short legs, and the smells of cats replaced the garlic.

_ShadowClan?_ Tinypaw thought, bristling. His fur flattened as he examined the scent. _No… just Bluefur… and Darkstripe and Longtail!_

Curious, Tinypaw dropped into a stalking crouch. He headed towards the source, finding the three warriors sitting together in a clump of ferns. Longtail's neck fur was bristling, but it didn't look like it was because he scented Tinypaw. Tinypaw kept himself low, thankful for his dark black pelt.

"StarClan knows, Tigerstar's tried everything with his apprentice," Bluefur sighed. "He showed little promise from the start – he thought he might be able to bring out his potential if he trained Ravenpaw himself… but I never expected him to be a traitor!"

Tinypaw pricked his ears, a shiver rippling down his spine. Traitor? What in StarClan was Bluefur talking about?

"How long was he missing when you went to Mothermouth?" Darkstripe asked.

"Long enough to get into ShadowClan and come back," Bluefur said spitefully.

Tinypaw frowned. _But…_ he thought. _He was with us the whole time, wasn't he?_ The only time Tinypaw himself hadn't seen Ravenpaw on the journey was when he was inside Mothermouth, in the Moonstone chamber. But would that amount of time really be long enough to reach ShadowClan and come back?

"That's it, then!" Longtail decided, his voice pitched with excitement. "He _must_ have told them that Tigerstar and the Clan's strongest warrior were gone! That's how they knew!"

"We are the last Clan to stand against ShadowClan," Bluefur meowed quietly, her voice soft. "We cannot afford to have such a traitor in our midst! We must be strong."

Her silence begged for response. Tinypaw's fur prickled when Darkstripe replied eagerly, as if he were still her apprentice and answering a question about how to best stalk a squirrel. "The Clan would be better off without a traitor like Ravenpaw!"

Tinypaw felt his blood run cold with confusion and fear.

"I have to admit, I agree with you," Bluefur sighed, her voice heavy. "Tigerstar won't like to hear it – Ravenpaw was his favorite apprentice, after all… but a traitor is a traitor, and he _must_ be dealt with."

Tinypaw backed up quietly into the underbrush, deciding he had heard enough. So many thoughts ran through his head, it was impossible to sort through them all – on one hand, Bluefur was his mentor, the cat who had taught him everything he knew about life as a warrior. She was everything he aspired to be! On the other, Ravenpaw was his friend, terrified of some shadow looming over him – which Tinypaw just realized was Bluefur.

_What do I do?_ He wondered, head spinning.

Panting with stress, Tinypaw decided that the only thing he could do – the only way to get this mess sorted out – was to talk to Tigerstar himself.

Tigerstar would know what to do.


	22. Chapter 20

**Ah! This story is almost done! I'll be working on getting the rest of this story written (only a chapter or two left that I haven't done yet) and then I'll be working on Blood of the Tiger. It'll only be a short time where I won't be updating Blood of the Tiger, so don't be too disappointed.**

**Anyway, on to the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

_Tinypaw squeezed through what remained of_ the hole. Ravenpaw and Graypaw had been working well, and it was almost finished – but Tinypaw's head was reeling from confusion and worry.

"No luck?" Ravenpaw guessed.

Tinypaw looked up at Ravenpaw, and tried to keep his legs from trembling. _Is he a traitor, or is Bluefur lying?_ He wondered.

"N-No," he managed. "Darkstripe's out there."

Graypaw shrugged. Neither seemed to notice that Tinypaw seemed shaken. "Don't worry about it then," Graypaw mewed. "I'll just get something for it in the morning."

"No, no," Tinypaw insisted. "I'll… I'll go see Spottedleaf. She'll have some poppy seeds or something." He needed to get out – suddenly it felt like he was stuck in the tunnel at Mothermouth again, with the walls closing in on him. It was hard to breathe.

He didn't wait for Graypaw's response – he slipped away, heart pounding in his ears.

Tinypaw entered Spottedleaf's clearing, finding her pacing it round and round. Her tail-tip was twitching from side to side, and her amber eyes flashed occasionally, as if there was something on her mind.

_You're not the only one,_ Tinypaw thought.

"Are… are you OK?" Tinypaw asked.

Spottedleaf didn't stop pacing. "StarClan is restless," she mewed, shaking her head from side to side. "I can feel them stirring – like they're trying to tell me something."

Finally, she stopped. She blinked at Tinypaw and asked, "What do you want?"

"Graypaw's rat bites are paining him," Tinypaw reported. "I think… maybe poppy seeds might help him." He was no medicine cat – it felt odd giving Spottedleaf an order like that.

"The pain of losing a loved one can make wounds feel much deeper than they are," Spottedleaf meowed. "He'll be feeling their bites as if they're still on his body – yes; poppy seeds will definitely be helpful."

She disappeared into her den, and then came out with a dried poppy head clutched between her teeth. She put it before Tinypaw and meowed, "Just shake out one or two for him."

"Thanks," Tinypaw meowed. He half-bent to pick up the poppy head and asked, "Are you sure you're OK?"

"I'm fine," Spottedleaf assured him. "Go see your friend."

Tinypaw picked up the poppy head in his teeth and turned away from the tortoiseshell.

"Wait!" Spottedleaf hissed, before Tinypaw had even taken one step.

Tinypaw turned his head, the poppy head in his mouth preventing him from speaking. He tilted his head questioningly.

"Tinypaw," Spottedleaf meowed, her eyes glowing with a strange passion, "StarClan spoke to me, moons before you came to join the Clan. They said… they said a small cat will have the power to save the Clan. I… I sense they want me to tell you this now."

Tinypaw blinked, even more confused than before.

"Go," Spottedleaf told him, twitching her tail. "And… take care, Tinypaw."

Tinypaw blinked at her again, getting a strange feeling from her words. He turned away from her again and headed for the apprentice's den.

This was getting to be frustrating.

* * *

"Graypaw!" Tinypaw mewed. "Wake up!"

He prodded his friend once more. The three of them had been allowed to sleep in through the morning, since they had worked on the repairs last night – but sunhigh was here and going, and they were expected for training. Ravenpaw was already awake – Tinypaw wasn't sure he had slept – but Graypaw was still tired from the vigil for Lionheart and the journey to the Moonstone.

"Come on!" Tinypaw urged.

"No luck?" Ravenpaw asked.

Tinypaw shook his head, still too confused to properly speak to his friend. What little sleep he had managed to get had been interrupted by dreams of darkness and menace. A threatening shadow had loomed over him, and Tinypaw had felt as helpless as a kit – yet he knew was the only one who could stand and fight.

He had hoped to talk to Graypaw before Ravenpaw woke – but it seemed that things weren't working in Tinypaw's favor today.

_Once all of this gets sorted out, I'll feel better,_ he told himself, prodding Graypaw again. _I can talk to Tigerstar today – get it over with._

"Did he eat too many poppy seeds?" Ravenpaw asked.

"I hope not," a deep voice meowed. Oakheart poked his head into the den. "Darkstripe and I are taking you both out for training today – we don't need one of you falling asleep on the job!"

At the sound of his new mentor's voice, Graypaw peeked open one eye. "Wha…?" he mumbled.

"Time for training," Oakheart told him.

"Get up!" Tinypaw insisted.

"I'll handle him," Oakheart meowed. "Bluefur's waiting for you, Tinypaw."

"What?" Tinypaw wondered, shocked. He hadn't heard anything about training today. Bluefur hadn't mentioned it the night before.

Oakheart blinked at him. "She's your mentor, you know," he meowed. "Just because she's deputy too doesn't mean she won't stop training you. Get going – she's waiting for you in the clearing."

Tinypaw sighed. _There goes my plan for today,_ he thought.

He slipped out of the den and headed into the clearing. Sure enough, Bluefur was there, sitting beside the apprentice's favorite tree stump. The sunlight shone on her pale blue fur, and she looked well rested despite the events of the night before.

She eyed him evenly. "Your friends are awake?" she asked.

"Getting there," Tinypaw meowed, dipping his head respectfully. "Graypaw may have taken one too many poppy seeds. He's still groggy."

"Training will do him good," Bluefur meowed. Tinypaw raised his head. "He needs to take his mind off of his grieving. It's a distraction he cannot afford."

Their eyes locked. Tinypaw wanted nothing more than to look away – but something inside made him hold her frosty gaze. _Are you my mentor,_ he wondered, _or my enemy?_

"Anyway, you are not to be concerned with your friends today," Bluefur meowed. "Oakheart and Darkstripe are taking them – I want to train with you privately."

Tinypaw blinked.

"Come," she meowed.

* * *

The two followed the trail to the training hollow. Sunshine streamed in through the trees, warming the ground beneath their paws. Some trees had tiny clumps of leaves that were turning red, little hints of it like a scent on the breeze. They rustled with a light wind as the two cats positioned themselves in the hollow.

"Firstly," Bluefur meowed, wrapping her tail around her paws. "I saw you during the battle fighting Blackfoot. Your form was excellent – like a Clanborn warrior. You were quick and clever, using your size against him instead of brute strength."

"He beat me," Tinypaw pointed out.

Bluefur shook her head. "If the fight had gone on for much longer, you would have tired him out," she meowed assuredly. "You would have finished him."

_Finished…?_ Tinypaw thought, a uneasy feeling in his stomach. _Like… kill?_

"You were vicious with the rats as well, showing no mercy," Bluefur meowed, nodding her head. "They deserved none, and their bodies litter that ditch thanks to your efforts."

Tinypaw had to stop his fur from prickling with discomfort.

"But rats and cats are hardly any different at times," Bluefur told him. Her blue eyes were cold. "Sometimes, mercy is not the right answer. Sometimes, a warrior must take it within their own paws to remove a threat to their Clan's safety. Today, Tinypaw, I will be teaching you a technique that will allow you to take your Clan's safety into your own paws – a technique that will allow you to be the best warrior you can be.

"The killing blow."

Tinypaw's throat went dry. This went against everything he had been taught by the warrior code! Warriors weren't supposed to _kill_ their opponents – not unless it was absolutely necessary!

"Ah," Bluefur meowed, eyes flashing. "I can see it in your eyes – the doubt. The worry. 'But the warrior code!' you're thinking. Let me tell you, Tinypaw – teaching you this move does not go against the warrior code."

"It… doesn't?" Tinypaw wondered.

Bluefur shook her head. She explained, "I am teaching you this move so that when the time is right you can use it to protect this Clan, just as the warrior code states. I have faith in the fact that you will know when and where it will be the most useful and necessary. This Clan is your home – your life! And anyone who threatens it should face the harshest punishments."

Tinypaw's stomach was beginning to feel queasy. _Even if I did know how a killing blow,_ he thought, _I… I wouldn't have been able to use it on Blackfoot!_

But it had been so easy for Blackfoot to kill Rosetail. For ShadowClan warriors to kill Lionheart. The other Clans found it so easy to murder his Clanmates – his friends.

So why was this so hard to think about for himself?

"I normally teach this move at the end of an apprentice's training," Bluefur meowed. Tinypaw blinked away from his thoughts. "Your training is drawing to a close, but it's not over quite yet. So… I'm sure you're wondering how why I've chosen to teach you now, yes?"

Tinypaw gave half a nod.

Bluefur sighed. "I'm sure you've noticed that lately I've been… off," she meowed. "There's a reason for it. Tinypaw – I am expecting kits."

Tinypaw's ears pricked, and his eyes went wide. Kits? _Bluefur?_ He knew she and Oakheart were mates, but frankly it was something he didn't expect from her.

"It was largely unexpected – Spottedleaf told me just after the battle with ShadowClan," Bluefur told him. "Soon enough I'll be too… large… to perform warrior duties properly. The kits will be born come leaf-bare."

"I… congratulations," Tinypaw offered.

"Yes, yes," Bluefur mewed, nodding. "Don't go blabbing this to the whole Clan, now. So far only Tigerstar and Oakheart know. The whole Clan will figure it out soon enough."

"Will you being deputy be affected by this?" Tinypaw wondered.

"Tigerstar and I have spoken about it," Bluefur meowed, "and I have appointed Oakheart and Whitestorm to be my proxy when I move into the nursery. I am still the Clan's deputy – I won't be replaced."

_She must trust me,_ Tinypaw realized. _She's telling me all this… in confidence._ She had never done that before.

"With that out of the way," Bluefur meowed, "let's move on to your lesson – the killing blow. You have mastered every technique I've shown you up until now; I'm sure this one will be no different. Truly, it's an easy little technique in itself – but it involves incapacitating your enemy first."

Bluefur stood up. She lifted her tail, and Tinypaw stood up as she wished. Bluefur padded around behind Tinypaw and placed a paw on a bend in his back leg.

"Feel this?" she meowed.

Tinypaw nodded.

Bluefur put a little pressure on the bend, and Tinypaw bristled when he felt his leg begin to shake.

"What I'm pushing on here is the tendon that moves your back leg in towards your belly," Bluefur told him. "If you push hard enough, this tendon will cause your leg to buckle. Doing so will cause you – or your opponent – to fall. If you hit it hard enough, your opponent won't be able to move for some time. Understand?"

Tinypaw nodded.

Bluefur took her paw away and then padded before him. "There are two types of killing blows – from behind and from the front. I'll be teaching you how to do it from behind first. Now, pay attention…"

* * *

Tinypaw and Bluefur trained for the rest of the day, until the sun set in a rosy glow behind them. Tinypaw plodded behind Bluefur into the camp, horror prickling his pelt all the way home.


	23. Chapter 21

**Actually, Tigerstar's kits were born **_**before**_** his exile. Goldenflower was in the nursery in **_**Forest of Secrets,**_** nursing Bramblekit, Tawnykit, and another kit which she eventually lost. She nursed Featherkit and Stormkit alongside them when Silverstream died. Since it takes about 1 ½ to 2 moons for a queen to kit, that puts Bluefur at around leaf-bare, since its late greenleaf-early leaf-fall now.**

******As for what will happen to Mosskit and the others… well, everything is done for a reason, and some elements of canon are going to be kept in place! I'm sorry that some things might just disappoint you.**

**On the subject of **_**Dark Fever**_** – it was **_**always**_** an AU story. I like the idea of the Clans facing a terrible illness like that and I have a mind to re-do the story now that **_**Bramblestar's Storm **_**is out and things are confirmed (and people can't actually yell at me for keeping Leafpool medicine cat, because that was a thing). I like the idea and I will come back to it – but when I do, I will be reworking it quite a bit. I'll have to read **_**Bramblestar's Storm**_** for myself, though (or at least get a very detailed Cliff's Notes) before I attempt to re-do it. It will probably focus on (spoilers) Squirrelflight's and Bramblestar's future kits.**

**I'll probably be updating this story rather rapidly until I have finished writing it. Then it will go back to being updated alongside **_**Blood of the Tiger.**_

* * *

**Chapter 21**

_Tinypaw's head was in a fog – _he hardly noticed that the camp was practically back to normal. There were only a few holes left to be patched. Frostfur, with the help of her kits and Speckletail, were busy patching up the nursery walls. Tinypaw would have helped, but his legs felt heavy as he padded to the apprentice's den.

He passed Sandpaw and Dustpaw, following behind their mentors for a patrol. Tinypaw's head was in such a confused fog that he missed Sandpaw telling him that she and Dustpaw had eaten the last mice. Tinypaw passed by them and sat down beside Graypaw.

"Ravenpaw's not back yet," Graypaw meowed. He was resting against the stump, licking a forepaw. He looked up when Tinypaw slumped down beside him. "You look beat – what did you and Bluefur do?"

"Just battle practice," Tinypaw replied.

Graypaw grimaced. "Well, I guess it's better than what I was doing. Oakheart thought it would be a good idea if I went fishing," he sighed. He showed Tinypaw his paw – there was a cut in his pad. "I split it on a stone."

Tinypaw glanced at the wound and winced. "That looks deep," he mewed concernedly. "You… you ought to go see Spottedleaf about that."

"You think?" Graypaw wondered.

Tinypaw nodded.

Graypaw got up to leave. He threw over his shoulder, "I don't know where Ravenpaw got sent off to – keep an eye out for him, will you?"

Tinypaw nodded again, as Graypaw headed across the camp.

He settled himself down in a position where he could relax and stare at the camp entrance. Time passed, and the sun set in the sky as Oakheart padded back into camp with fresh-kill in his mouth. He padded over to Bluefur and Whitestorm to share.

No Ravenpaw.

The moon was high in the sky and Silverpelt was splashed against the darkness, but there was still no sign of Ravenpaw. Tinypaw was beginning to feel edgy, casting nervous glances at Tigerstar's den beneath the Highrock. It was being guarded by Longtail and Darkstripe.

_Does Tigerstar know that Ravenpaw isn't back yet?_ Tinypaw wondered. _Did he tell Oakheart or Darkstripe to send Ravenpaw to… wherever he went?_

A shiver ran down Tinypaw's spine as he thought of the conversation he had heard the night before. What if Ravenpaw was hurt somewhere, tracked down by one of the cats who thought him a traitor?

Just as Tinypaw was about to use hunting as an excuse to look for Ravenpaw, the black apprentice slipped into the camp with pricked ears and bright eyes. His jaws gripped the body of a massive crow.

Tinypaw sat up as Ravenpaw slunk to the apprentice's den. Before Tinypaw could speak, Ravenpaw dropped the crow at Tinypaw's paws and announced, "Enough for all three of us!"

"Ravenpaw, where have you -"

Ravenpaw cut Tinypaw off. "It ought to taste really good – it's from ShadowClan territory," he said.

Tinypaw froze, shocked.

"_ShadowClan_ territory?" Tinypaw gasped. "You hunted… in _ShadowClan territory?"_

Ravenpaw fidgeted, glancing towards the warrior's den. "It… It was my assignment, OK?" he hissed. "Now shut it and eat. Leave some for Graypaw."

"We need to tell Tigerstar!" Tinypaw meowed. "That was too dangerous!"

Ravenpaw shook his head. "Keep quiet, will you?" he snapped. "Just eat it – I came back OK, and no one noticed me."

He pushed the crow at Tinypaw before slipping into the apprentice's den. Tinypaw's heart was pounding. _If anyone finds out he hunted in ShadowClan territory today and came back all right… Oh StarClan, that would make the rumors seem more true!_

Despite what was going on in his mind, Tinypaw was starving. Shaking, he took several bites of the crow. It tasted sharp and cold in his mouth, despite its freshness. He swallowed what he could and left the rest for Graypaw to eat.

_I need to tell him,_ Tinypaw decided. _He needs to know that the Clan is starting to think he's a traitor!_

Tinypaw slipped into the apprentice's den, wishing now that he had been able to talk to Tigerstar today. Now he had to take matters into his own paws, and if he screwed up it could cost Ravenpaw everything – but Ravenpaw needed to know that he could possibly be in danger, and Tinypaw needed to know if he was really a traitor.

Shockingly, Ravenpaw was asleep. Tinypaw kept his pawsteps quiet as he entered the den, listening to Ravenpaw's frightened mewls and squeaks. He was dreaming, but it wasn't a good dream by the sound of it.

Suddenly Ravenpaw shot up, spine arched and fur bristling. He let out a terrified hiss, his claws unsheathed in terror. His eyes were full of fear as they locked with Tinypaw's.

"Ravenpaw!" Tinypaw called. "It's me – Tinypaw!"

Ravenpaw's spine unbent and his claws sheathed as he recognized his friend. He flopped down onto his bed, trembling from head to tail-tip. His eyes looked tired, betraying the fact that he hadn't been sleeping well. Ravenpaw let out a groan of frustration.

"Ravenpaw, there's something you need to know," Tinypaw meowed. He settled close to Ravenpaw, pressing near him. Tinypaw could feel the force of Ravenpaw's heartbeat and frowned.

Ravenpaw said nothing.

"When I went out to fetch the wild garlic last night, I overheard something dreadful," Tinypaw told him seriously, hoping he was listening. "I heard Bluefur telling Darkstripe and Longtail that you're a traitor to the Clan – that you told ShadowClan that our Clan was vulnerable to attack while we were at Mothermouth!"

Ravenpaw's eyes got wider. "No!" he whispered. He whirled on Tinypaw, insisting, "But I _didn't!"_

Tinypaw blinked. There was no way that Ravenpaw was lying – not with that look of terror and horror on his face. _But that means…_

"I'm not accusing you," Tinypaw assured him. "Darkstripe and Longtail believe you did, though, and Bluefur… Bluefur told them that they ought to get rid of you!"

Ravenpaw's expression was blank with helplessness.

"Why?" Tinypaw asked. "What's going on – I'm so confused… Is Bluefur lying? Why would she think you were a traitor? Why would she want you gone – what threat are you to her?" Considering the power and the _things_ that Bluefur knew, Tinypaw wondered how any cat could be considered a threat to her.

Ravenpaw seemed to be fumbling for words. Finally, he meowed, "Tinypaw… can I trust you?"

Tinypaw tipped his head. "Of course!" he insisted.

"Can… can you trust _me?"_

"Of course!" Tinypaw repeated. Why was he asking this?

Ravenpaw edged closer to Tinypaw. After a deep breath and what sounded like a prayer to StarClan under his breath, he meowed quietly, "Because Swiftclaw didn't kill Redtail – Bluefur did."

Tinypaw's blood froze.

"Bluefur didn't kill Swiftclaw," Ravenpaw meowed, taking Tinypaw's silence as a cue to explain himself. "I remember seeing Redtail and Swiftclaw fight, but Swiftclaw disappeared and turned up dead later. I'm not… I'm not sure what happened, really. But RiverClan was still outnumbering us, and Bluefur told me to run – but I didn't. I was worried, so I hung around the battle just in case and I saw…"

Ravenpaw gulped.

"I saw Bluefur and Redtail chasing away the RiverClan warriors, all by themselves. They fought like a lion and a tiger – but once the last of the RiverClan warriors were gone, Bluefur turned on Redtail and… and tore out his throat. I… I was so _terrified…_ I bolted back to camp as fast as I could. I don't know if Bluefur saw me or not, but… but I couldn't wait to find out."

Tinypaw was struck silent.

"I would have told Tigerstar, but… how could he possibly believe me?" Ravenpaw went on, his voice filled with grief. "How could _anyone_ believe me? I'm just an apprentice, and Bluefur… well, you _know_ what Bluefur is like."

Yes, Tinypaw did know what Bluefur was like – but now he was starting to realize that Bluefur had secrets. Dangerous ones. Deadly ones. The Clan saw her as a great warrior, worthy of praise – but Tinypaw knew that she was ruthless in battle and deadly to any enemy. He had learned her dark secrets not long ago, and now all he could see was the image of Bluefur using those skills to tear Redtail apart.

He shivered as the image switched to Ravenpaw.

"Do you believe me?" Ravenpaw asked. His voice brought Tinypaw out of his thoughts. "I know she's your mentor, and you look up to her. But it's the truth, Tinypaw – I swear by StarClan."

Tinypaw closed his eyes. Stars flashed before his eyes, each one holding the image of every interaction he had ever had with Bluefur, from the very beginning. Her ruthless training sessions, her surprise attacks, her death blows, the hardness in her blue eyes… He dug his claws into the ground, feeling like the memories were going to blow him away.

"Tinypaw?"

Tinypaw opened his eyes. Ravenpaw was still there.

"I… I believe you, Ravenpaw," Tinypaw said finally.

"You do?" Ravenpaw gasped.

"I just…" Tinypaw shivered. "It's hard to grasp, that's all. Not as hard as I would have thought, but it's still hard."

He looked to Ravenpaw and licked his friend between the ears. "I'll be OK," he promised. "You'll be OK – just stay close to me or Graypaw."

"Are… are you going to tell him?" Ravenpaw asked.

Tinypaw nodded. "I have to," he assured Ravenpaw. "Together we'll figure this out. We'll get you out of this, Ravenpaw."

* * *

Tinypaw had a rough time sleeping that night – his dreams were swirls of darkness and fear, shrieks of terror that he couldn't identify. Claws slashing in what sounded like rain, and amber eyes that turned to blue flame.

When Graypaw came back, his paw patched and better, Tinypaw was awake immediately.

"Hi!" Graypaw mewed, sounding more cheerful than he had for what seemed like ages.

"You sound better," Tinypaw commented.

"Better than you look," Graypaw joked. "Spottedleaf put some gunk on my paw and now it feels a lot better. What's up with you? Rough night?"

"Well, sort of…"

"I hope it doesn't last long," Graypaw sighed. "You're starting to look like Ravenpaw. Anyway, I hope that leftover crow was meant for me – it was delicious!"

Tinypaw shivered. "It was, but Graypaw -"

Graypaw shook him off. "Come on, Tinypaw – Brindleface had her kits last night," he said excitedly. "Let's go see them!"

Tinypaw's ears pricked. Kits? Well, at least it was something to get the Clan in a better mood. Tinypaw realized he probably wouldn't get Graypaw to sit still until he did as requested – Spottedleaf must have given Graypaw something for energy last night.

The sun was warm on Tinypaw's back as he slipped out of the den. He stretched, letting his muscles ripple and relax beneath his sheer black coat. He was far more than the kittypet he had been a whole two seasons ago. Part of him wished he were still that kittypet, now that he knew what he knew.

"Quit showing off," Graypaw chided. "Let's go see those kits!"

Tinypaw nodded. He followed Graypaw across the clearing to the nursery, where the smells of milk and kits flooded out of the entrance. It brought Tinypaw back to his own mother, remembering her smell as he and his own littermates squirmed at her belly. Whitestorm was standing guard outside, his yellow eyes content.

"You've come to see the kits?" the white warrior guessed.

Tinypaw nodded.

"You'll have to wait a moment," Whitestorm meowed. "Only one at a time – Tigerstar's in there now."

Tinypaw turned to Graypaw. "You can go first," he decided. "I'll go see Yellowfang." Dipping his head respectfully, Tinypaw padded away, heading for the elder's den. Yellowfang's nest was just on the other side, and the old she-cat was awake and settled in with her morning grooming.

"Are you expecting rain?" Tinypaw asked, noting she was washing behind her ears.

Yellowfang spat crossly, "You've been listening to too many old she-cat's tales, Tinypaw. What use would washing be if I'm going to get wet anyway?"

Tinypaw's whiskers twitched with amusement. He settled near her and asked, "Are you going to see Brindleface's new litter?"

Yellowfang paused in her washing, stiffening. "I wouldn't be very welcome," she stated.

"What makes you say that? You saved her -"

"A queen is very protective of her kits – especially if they're newborns," Yellowfang growled. "I'll be staying far away."

"As you wish," Tinypaw mewed. "But I mean it's good news to have new kits in the camp, right?"

"Sometimes," Yellowfang said quietly. Tinypaw flicked his ears. Louder, Yellowfang said, "Oh, go see them already! I know you want to."

Tinypaw chuckled. He turned and headed back to the nursery. The sun was climbing in the sky, and clouds were beginning to form in the blue. His pace quickened as he remembered his dream, and the lashing rain he'd felt. He had a feeling it wasn't going to rain today – it didn't look like it – but something made his pelt prickle.

Tigerstar was shouldering out of the nursery as Tinypaw approached. Graypaw dipped his head to him before slipping in after Tigerstar had exited. The great tabby leader sat down in Tinypaw's path, his amber eyes focused on Tinypaw.

"Are you going to see Brindleface's kits?" he rumbled.

Tinypaw nodded. Something in Tigerstar's tone didn't seem right – didn't new kits mean good news for the Clan?

"Good," Tigerstar meowed. "I want you to come and see me in my den afterward."

"Of course," Tinypaw replied, shocked. Was this the opportunity he needed, laid out before him like a gift from StarClan?

Graypaw squeezed out of the nursery as Tigerstar plodded over to the Highrock. Graypaw smelled of milk and kits, and his eyes held a dreaminess like he had just looked upon something humbling. He glanced at Tinypaw and mewed, "They're _so_ adorable!"

Tinypaw's whiskers twitched with amusement.

"I'm hungry – I'll go get us from fresh-kill," Graypaw decided. "Just don't keep me waiting, or I might eat it all!"

"You'd better not!" Tinypaw snapped back affectionately.

Graypaw chuckled as he padded across the camp, towards the fresh-kill pile. Tinypaw stepped forward, glancing at Whitestorm – when the white cat nodded at him, Tinypaw slipped into the warm nursery.

There was still a small hole in the nursery, letting in a cooler bit of air into the warm nest that housed ThunderClan's kits. Inside was a lot roomier than it seemed on the outside, and Brindleface was curled up around her kits – four, with dark gray fur and tabby flecks, like their mother. Two had white paws. By scent, there were three she-cats and one tom.

Speckletail was asleep in one corner, her tail curled around her two older kits. Frostfur was huddled around her four kits – the eldest in the nursery. She was awake, giving them an occasional lap with her tongue. There was enough moss for a spare nest gathered in one corner – _For Bluefur,_ Tinypaw thought.

The nursery was quiet otherwise, and Tinypaw made sure to keep his paws silent.

"Hello, Tinypaw," Brindleface murmured.

"Hello," Tinypaw murmured back. "How are you?"

"Tired," Brindleface sighed. She shifted, but the kits didn't budge. "It was a long night… but my kits are strong and healthy."

"ThunderClan is lucky," Tinypaw purred. "I was just seeing if Yellowfang would like to visit."

A look of worry flashed in Brindleface's eyes as she nudged a kit closer to her belly. Tinypaw didn't miss it, either, and his pelt prickled a little.

_Tigerstar accepted Yellowfang,_ Tinypaw thought, _but I suppose it doesn't mean the whole Clan has._

Tinypaw touched his nose to Brindleface's flank affectionately before turning to leave.

Tigerstar was waiting outside of his den, Darkstripe and Longtail at his sides. When Tinypaw approached, Darkstripe and Longtail got up to follow Tigerstar into the den – but Tigerstar raised his thick tail.

"I will be fine speaking with Tinypaw alone," Tigerstar meowed.

Darkstripe and Longtail sat down, but Tinypaw didn't miss the look of anger on both their faces as Tinypaw followed Tigerstar into the Highrock.

Tinypaw had never been inside Tigerstar's den – it was round, lined with sand and moss and well sheltered. The remains of a bird lay beside a nest in the center of the den, mossy and lined with feathers. Tigerstar settled himself in the nest, tucking his paws beneath him. Tinypaw settled himself a tail-length away.

"Brindleface's kits are lovely," Tinypaw offered. This was his chance to talk to Tigerstar, and he needed it to go just right.

"Lovely indeed," Tigerstar mewed. "But more kits means more mouths to feed, and leaf-fall is upon us, soon to be leaf-bare."

His tone made Tinypaw tip his head.

"Oh, don't mind me," Tigerstar rumbled. "Just worrying in my old age."

Tinypaw shifted on the sandy floor. Tigerstar adjusted himself a little more before he went on.

"Bluefur told me about your training session yesterday," Tigerstar meowed. "She told me she hadn't come back so sore… and I'm sure it's not because she's expecting kits."

Tinypaw flattened his ears. This was not how he'd expected this conversation to do.

"You are progressing well in your training," Tigerstar went on. "I couldn't be more proud of you – or the other apprentices. Keep this up and you'll be warriors before long… I expect you'll be one of the best of them, Tinypaw – Bluefur's apprentices have always been great in one way or another. The Clan needs more warriors like her."

_Oh, no,_ Tinypaw thought.

Tigerstar shook his great head. "I still cannot believe that ShadowClan invaded the heart of our very Clan – I can still smell them in the camp. I had never thought to see it in my lifetime! And all the losses… oh, so many losses…"

Tinypaw frowned in sympathy, seeing Tigerstar's amber eyes soften with sadness.

"First Redtail, then Rosetail and Lionheart," Tigerstar breathed. "So many good warriors – good friends! I will miss them… but Bluefur will no doubt make a great deputy, even if she is expecting kits. I trust her with the safety of this Clan – there is no warrior more loyal than she is, except possibly Whitestorm. You're lucky to have such a noble mentor, Tinypaw."

_No,_ Tinypaw thought. There was no way he could tell Tigerstar about Ravenpaw's words now. Tigerstar placed so much faith and trust in Bluefur – it would devastate him to know the truth, if he even believed it.

Tigerstar's voice became low.

"You know Brokenstar will return," he rumbled. "We have denied him, defeated him, and he does not want to let that stand. We did not give him what he wants. ThunderClan _must _stand against him. We must remain united."

"We can fight him off again," Tinypaw meowed reassuringly. "We did once."

"True," Tigerstar said, nodding. "StarClan honors your courage, Tinypaw. I know I do." He turned to his side, licking a healing wound there before he turned back to Tinypaw. "You ought to know that I did not lose my fifth life in that battle – it was my seventh."

Tinypaw's eyes flew wide with shock.

"I've let the Clan believe it was my fifth, to keep them calm," Tigerstar rumbled. "I don't want them to fear for me. But only two lives stand between me and StarClan now."

Tinypaw didn't know why Tigerstar was choosing to tell him this. He only knew that it went without saying to keep it secret. Tinypaw dipped his head respectfully and said, "Thank you for trusting me with this information."

"I trust it won't be repeated," Tigerstar meowed, a hint of a threat in his voice. Tinypaw nodded reassuringly. Tigerstar grunted, "I'm tired – go on, Tinypaw. Go about your business."

As Tinypaw turned to leave, a shriek pierced the air.

Tinypaw's ears pricked, and Tigerstar was up and out of his nest immediately. The massive tabby pushed past Tinypaw and out of his den as another shriek filled the air. Tinypaw followed Tigerstar, stepping out into a clearing in chaos.

Frostfur was at the center of it all, her white head raised to the heavens. "My kits!" she wailed. "Someone has taken my kits!"

"Search the camp!" Tigerstar roared.

"Whitestorm, stay where you are!" Bluefur ordered, her blue eyes blazing. "Warriors, search the camp boundary – apprentices, search every den!"

Tinypaw rushed to the warrior's den without a second thought. He tossed moss every which way, but there was no sign of any of Frostfur's kits. He hissed in worry and pulled out of the den, racing towards his own.

Ravenpaw and Graypaw were already tearing the apprentice's den apart, though, and as Tinypaw looked over the camp he realized that Sandpaw and Dustpaw had the other dens covered. Warriors were padding along the boundary, sniffing here and there and everywhere to find them.

Tinypaw shoved his nose into every clump of grass he could find, trying to scent the kits. He figured he had sniffed every blade of grass in camp – but there was no scent. He lifted his head, feeling nettles stinging his nose.

A flash of gray caught his eye – Yellowfang!

The old she-cat had slipped away through a half-patched hole in the camp wall. From the look on her face, she had found _something_.

Tinypaw raced in her direction, wondering where she was going. He was about to call her name when his paws tangled on something soft and large on the ground, and Tinypaw tumbled to the ground. Cursing, Tinypaw pushed himself to his paws and turned about to see what he had tripped over.

His heart caught in his throat.

It was Spottedleaf!

Shock coursed through his body – who could have possibly done this?

Tinypaw was not the only cat who noticed her body. A crowd of shocked cats grew around Spottedleaf, with lashing tails and wide eyes. Tigerstar stepped forward and nosed her body, turning her on her spine to reveal the grisly blow to her throat.

"She has been killed by a warrior blow," Tigerstar announced.

Tinypaw closed his eyes, sadness flooding his body. Not Spottedleaf! What had she done to deserve a death so brutal? He easily recognized the method behind the wound as well – he pictured a nameless, faceless shape pinning her down and tearing her throat apart, just like… just like…

_Just like Bluefur taught me to do,_ Tinypaw thought, horror in his blood. _Just like Bluefur had done to Redtail._

A yowl brought him to his senses. When he opened his eyes, the world seemed a little darker – gray clouds were forming in the sky above the camp. A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance – but it didn't drown out a voice that sounded like a monster's roar in Tinypaw's ears:

"_Yellowfang is gone!"_


	24. Chapter 22

**Some names will be different – but I won't be calling him 'Tinyheart'. That sounds… rather mean. Like, meaner than naming a cat 'Tiny'.**

**Woot! Finally got the rest of this story written! There are only about three chapters left, but for now it will resume updating alongside **_**Blood of the Tiger**_**.**

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**Chapter 22**

"_Yellowfang has killed Spottedleaf and taken_ my kits!" Frostfur wailed. The other queens rushed to her side, murmuring comforts – but Frostfur broke away from them all to yowl her grief into the darkening sky.

Bluefur's eyes glowed in the dim light. Thunder rumbled as she hissed, "Yellowfang! I _knew_ she was up to something!"

"She must have fought off Blackfoot in order to sneak her way into our Clan!" Darkstripe agreed. Yowling to the whole of the Clan, he went on, "She was working with them the whole time!"

Lightning forked through the sky, flashing at Darkstripe's words. Thunder rumbled on afterward as the Clan huddled into a nervous group of worried warriors. Tinypaw stood before Spottedleaf's body, stiff with shock.

_No,_ Tinypaw thought. The others might believe it, but Tinypaw didn't – there was no way Yellowfang could have killed Spottedleaf.

"Tigerstar!" Bluefur called. "What say you?"

All eyes turned to Tigerstar, who was still sitting solemnly before Spottedleaf's body. The great tabby had his eyes closed, and when he opened them the sky flashed with lightning. Rain began falling on the clearing, soaking the pelts of the cats out in the open. Tigerstar's pelt went dark and runny with water before he spoke.

"If Yellowfang has killed Spottedleaf and assisted in stealing Frostfur's kits, she will be hunted down without mercy," Tigerstar growled, his voice filled with grief and determination. The crowd crowed approvingly, but Tigerstar was not done: "This storm will get worse. If ShadowClan has our kits, they will come to no immediate harm – Brokenstar most likely plans to use them as recruits for his Clan, or as bargaining chips to make us let him hunt in our territory. When the storm passes, a patrol will go out hunting for Yellowfang."

"The scent will be lost in this rain!" Darkstripe hissed, bristling despite the wetness clinging to the dark warrior's pelt. "We cannot afford to waste time!" Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd, and Tinypaw saw heads nodding here and there.

"The scent is already lost in this weather!" Oakheart pointed out. His chin was dripping with water. "Our efforts would be wasted anyway."

"We will wait until the storm passes, as Tigerstar says," Whitestorm agreed, nodding.

The sky above grew darker – Tinypaw looked up. Sunhigh had just barely passed, but it seemed like nighttime already. He flinched as lightning cut through the sky again, followed closely by a loud rumble of thunder that seemed to shake the forest floor. The cats in the crowd shifted, unsettled by the noise.

"Meet me in my den, Bluefur," Tigerstar called over the noise. "I would like to discuss our plan."

Bluefur nodded, her shoulder fur bristling. The blue gray she-cat kept her belly close to the ground as she headed for the den in the Highrock.

Tinypaw stepped away as Whitestorm and Oakheart picked up Spottedleaf's body and dragged her to a more sheltered corner of the camp, beneath a clump of ferns by the elder's den. Her limp body was sodden and muddy, but the two warriors arranged her in a respectful manner, closing her bright amber eyes for the last time.

The crowd of cats parted, heading for this spot to pay respects to their medicine cat. Frostfur wailed again, her voice lost amongst the rain and thunder. The other queens ushered her into the nursery, sympathy in their eyes.

"Tinypaw," rumbled Tigerstar.

Tinypaw looked back at his leader. The great tabby was just beside him, looking down on him with urgency in his amber eyes.

"Where is Yellowfang?" he asked, quietly. "Do you know?"

Tinypaw blinked. Images of Spottedleaf and a trace of her scent flashed before him, but he shook his head of them and replied, "I spotted her fleeing as I was looking for the kits – over there, by the hole near the nursery. She looked… angry."

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. "I don't know whether or not Yellowfang is the culprit behind Spottedleaf's death – the only one who could tell us is Yellowfang herself. I need you to find her and bring her back. Alive," he stated.

Tinypaw flicked his tail. "But I… why me? And would you believe Yellowfang if she told you she didn't do it?"

"My opinion is not that of the Clan's," Tigerstar rumbled. "Do _you_ believe she did it?"

"Of course not!" Tinypaw insisted.

Tigerstar blinked. "You would know better than most," he meowed. "You and Yellowfang are close. I'd rather send you than Bluefur to find her. I know you will bring her back to me alive."

Tinypaw blinked at his leader.

"If Bluefur believes that she can reassure the Clan by handing them the body of Yellowfang, I don't doubt that she will find a way to make it happen," Tigerstar told him. "I want Yellowfang alive – I want to hear her testimony with my own ears. I will not let her die if she is innocent."

Tinypaw's heart fluttered. "What if… What if she won't come back?" he wondered.

"She will – if _you_ ask her to," Tigerstar insisted.

Tinypaw flattened his ears. _I have to make her come back,_ Tinypaw realized. _Or the Clan will believe she did these things forever… and their hatred won't end until she's as dead as Spottedleaf._

The fact that Tigerstar put so much faith in Tinypaw made the smaller cat's pelt tingle – why him? The enormity of his task was settled on his shoulders like a boulder, amongst all the other things Tigerstar had trusted him with – Ravenpw's secret was there, too, making the weight all the more hard to bear. What if he broke under the pressure?

"Go!" Tigerstar insisted. "But be careful – you will be on your own, and there may be enemy patrols about. Once the storm is over, I will have no choice but to send a patrol out, but until then the warriors are grounded here."

Tinypaw wasted no time rushing away. He felt eyes on him as lightning flashed against the dark sky, but he didn't have time. Tinypaw pushed his way through the ferns and touched his nose to Spottedleaf's body – he had to say good-bye before he left.

"I'll find the truth," he promised her. "I will!" He made sure his words were quiet – there were still cats paying their own respects – but Tinypaw could not just leave without bidding Spottedleaf farewell. She had helped him – and Yellowfang – much during his life here.

He pushed his way out of the ferns and back into the clearing. Water was pooling everywhere, and the ground was soft and muddy beneath his paws. The downpour seemed to be at its worst, and Tinypaw resisted the urge to shake off his waterlogged pelt as he trotted across the clearing.

Passing the nursery, Tinypaw just had to stop. He could hear voices inside, murmuring and talking quietly over the sounds of mewling kits. Pressing his ear against the bramble wall, Tinypaw strained his ears:

"That rat Yellowfang _must_ have had help," Speckletail's voice rasped irritably.

"Someone from _ThunderClan?"_ Frostfur murmured worriedly. Her voice was high-pitched with anxiety.

"You've heard what's been said about Ravenpaw," Speckletail went on. "What if it's true? I'm starting to think that Bluefur might be right about that cat."

"Well, I think its rubbish!" Brindleface hissed. "You're scaring the kits with those rumors, Speckletail."

"We'll see if they're rumors or not," Speckletail shot back. "Sooner or later."

The fur along Tinypaw's spine prickled. Yellowfang was an issue, yes – but now Ravenpaw's situation had inflamed to a point where it was an issue, too. He had thought that it was just Bluefur talking about it with Darkstripe and Longtail – but no, from the sounds of things she'd been spreading this rumor for a long time.

_Why?_ Tinypaw thought. _I know why. To get Ravenpaw out of the way… because he knows the truth. He knows what she did._

A sick feeling rose in Tinypaw's stomach. There was no other explanation – why else would Bluefur want Ravenpaw gone so badly?

_No!_ he thought. _One thing at a time. Yellowfang first, then Ravenpaw. I need to think of something that can be done about him anyway._

Tinypaw moved away from his hiding place and headed for where he had last seen Yellowfang. The hole wasn't too far away, sheltered near the dirtplace tunnel. Yellowfang's scent was definitely here, protected from the rain by the gorse barrier. Tinypaw was halfway through the hole before a voice stopped him.

"Tinypaw!"

It was Graypaw – but Tinypaw backed himself out of the hole anyway.

"I've been looking for you," Graypaw insisted. "Uh… where are you going?"

"To look for Yellowfang," Tinypaw replied. He was sick of lying – he couldn't do it to Graypaw.

Graypaw pulled a face. "On your own?" he asked.

"Tigerstar asked me to find her," Tinypaw meowed. "To bring her back."

"Why?"

"Because I _can,"_ Tinypaw insisted. "Tigerstar figures I know Yellowfang best and that I'll be the one to get her to come back. He wants to have a fair trial for her."

Graypaw frowned. "But… maybe a patrol of warriors might stand a better chance at that. She's dangerous, Tinypaw – she killed -"

"Do you _really_ believe that, Graypaw?" Tinypaw asked.

"Do you?"

"I don't know!" Tinypaw exclaimed. "Tigerstar's sending me because he fears that Bluefur might not bring he back at all – even if he ordered her to."

Graypaw had his mouth opened to speak again, but lightning flashed across the sky, thunder overlapping the bright light. Tinypaw squinted, but he caught a flash of black near the nursery – Ravenpaw!

The young cat was cringing with fear, eyes wide and round as Speckletail towered over him, teeth bared and tail lashing. Tinypaw didn't hear what was said – he didn't need to. It was clear to him now that Ravenpaw was in more danger than he had anticipated.

"What was that about?" Graypaw wondered, looking at the scene. Ravenpaw had turned tail, speeding away for the apprentice's den.

"Ravenpaw's in danger," Tinypaw explained. "Great danger."

"What?" Graypaw exclaimed. "How? Why?"

There wasn't time for this! "You have to trust me, Graypaw – I need to get Ravenpaw out of here. Now," Tinypaw insisted. But where? Where would be safe enough? "He needs to go someplace where he won't be found, someplace outside Clan territory."

It took Graypaw a moment to answer. "What about Barley?" he suggested.

"Barley?"

"The loner we met on the journey to Highstones," Graypaw reminded him. "Tigerstar said he lives in a barn outside Clan territory. And with how fat Barley was, it _must_ be a good place to live!"

"Take him to the Twolegplace?" Tinypaw repeated. The more he thought of it, the more appealing it sounded. "Yes – yes, that might just work!"

_There's no time to think any further on it,_ Tinypaw thought. _Who knows when this rain is going to let up?_

"This means you'll help me?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw blinked affectionately at Tinypaw. "Of course I'll help!" he mewed. "If you say Ravenpaw's in trouble, I believe you. You'll just have to tell me why at some point – now, let's go get him before some cat bites his tail off!"

"Thank you," Tinypaw purred. He didn't know how to express his gratitude. Some of the weight lifted from his shoulders, and as the two apprentices charged for the apprentice's den Tinypaw began feeling lighter than before.

Ravenpaw was not alone in the den. Sandpaw and Dustpaw were there, too, huddled together in their nests with wide eyes as the storm crashed overhead. Ravenpaw was at the far side of the den, huddled in the shadows with gleaming eyes. Tinypaw could hear him panting.

"Ravenpaw!" he hissed, keeping his voice as low as possible. Ravenpaw's eyes flickered over to Tinypaw, and at his gesture Ravenpaw slipped out of the den.

"Come on," Tinypaw whispered. "We're taking you to Barley."

Ravenpaw's eyes blinked in bewilderment. "Barley?" he wondered. "Why?"

"Because you'll be safe there," Graypaw told him.

Ravenpaw looked at them both, and his limbs trembled. "D-Did you see Speckletail? I… I just wanted to see if Frostfur's other kits were OK…" he stammered.

"Enough of this," Tinypaw insisted. "We need to go – now. Before the rain lets up."

Ravenpaw met Tinypaw's eyes. "Thanks, Tinypaw," he breathed, gratitude in his voice.

Tinypaw only nodded. Together, the three of them headed for the gorse tunnel – all three of them couldn't fit through the nursery hole without suspicion. Tinypaw had just set paw in the gorse tunnel when he heard Bluefur's voice calling them back.

"You three!" she called over the storm. "Where are you going?"

Tinypaw turned about, stepping before Graypaw and Ravenpaw. He looked at his mentor, swallowing, unsure of what excuse he could make that she would believe. Tigerstar was a pace behind Bluefur – Tinypaw knew his only chance was to hope he understood.

To Tinypaw's relief, Tigerstar did.

"Well done, Tinypaw," Tigerstar rumbled approvingly. "I see you've convinced your friends to go with you. These three are brave apprentices for sure, if they're willing to run an errand in weather like this!"

"Surely this is not the time!" Bluefur expressed.

"One of Brindleface's kits has a cough," Tigerstar meowed calmly, "and little Cinderkit seems to have caught it too. Tinypaw has offered to fetch some coltsfoot for them."

"Are his friends really necessary for this task?" Bluefur asked.

"In this storm, he would be lucky to have the company!" Tigerstar scoffed. "Herbs are not easy to find in such foul weather."

Tigerstar's eyes rested on Tinypaw, and he gave a small nod. Tinypaw swallowed, feeling the weight of Tigerstar's trust. "Off you go, you three," he rumbled. "Be back quickly!"

"Thank you," Tinypaw mewed, trying to keep the gratitude out of his voice. He didn't want Bluefur thinking that there was more to this errand than met the eye – though he had a feeling that was impossible now.

Tinypaw turned and led his friends through the gorse tunnel. They followed him swiftly along the familiar paths to Fourtrees. They kept their pawsteps nimble and firm, not wanting any slip-ups on the wet ground. Wind roared in the treetops, and Tinypaw could hear the trees creaking and groaning against the storm. Rain pelted through the trees, soaking the apprentices through to the bone.

The stream that the cats normally used to cross to Fourtrees was flooded, its stepping stones buried beneath a torrent of sloshing water. Tinypaw spat in frustration, but led the others up the bank – a fallen tree lay across the stream, stripped free of bark and caught between two stones. Carefully they made their way across – Ravenpaw nearly slipped, but the skinny tom kept his footing sure the rest of the way.

There was little shelter from the storm on the other side – though the trees were bigger, they were still swayed by wind and water. Tinypaw was beginning to feel the water dragging at his pelt as they clambered up the slope.

"Can you please tell me what's going on?" Graypaw wondered.

"Is now the best time?" Tinypaw wondered to him.

"I think it's the _best_ time," Graypaw insisted. "After that stunt with Bluefur I definitely need to know what I'm getting into here."

Tinypaw and Graypaw paused for a moment. Ravenpaw had fallen a bit behind, but was clambering up just as they did. Panting, Tinypaw looked at Graypaw.

"Ravenpaw knows that Bluefur killed Redtail," he said, seriously.

Graypaw's eyes went wide. "Bluefur killed Redtail?" he repeated to himself. Ravenpaw scrambled up the slop to stand beside them, and Graypaw's yellow eyes flickered to his friend. "Is… Is this true?"

Ravenpaw nodded. Between gasps for air, Ravenpaw meowed, "I saw it happen… at the battle for Sunningrocks. The day Tinypaw came to ThunderClan."

"But _why?"_ Graypaw wondered.

Tinypaw led the way down the slope. Fourtrees was below, in the clearing, the oaks swaying against one another in the storm.

"We don't know," Tinypaw answered. "Maybe she thought that Tigerstar might make her deputy?"

Graypaw said nothing as they crossed the clearing where the Gatherings were held. The Great Rock was dark with water, slick and slippery. The three apprentices headed for the uplands, up to WindClan territory. With the moorland grasses heavy with water, it looked like a flat plain of ground was before them, studded with dark rocks.

Tinypaw turned to Graypaw. He needed to understand just why they were taking Ravenpaw away. "She wants to get rid of Ravenpaw," Tinypaw told him.

"Get _rid_ of him?" Graypaw repeated, stopping beside Tinypaw. "You mean… _kill him?"_

Tinypaw looked back at Ravenpaw. The scrawny young cat was finding it hard to keep up as he climbed up the slope of the plateau. When he reached flat ground again, Ravenpaw caught up easily.

"You saw how Speckletail went after him earlier," Tinypaw meowed to Graypaw. "Bluefur's been hinting to the rest of the Clan that Ravenpaw's a traitor. He'll be safe with Barley – come on!"

The howling winds in WindClan territory made it impossible to talk. They were caught in the open storm now, with no trees to shelter them from the pounding rain and harsh winds. Tinypaw feared that he or Ravenpaw might get carried up into the sky – but they lowered their heads and pushed through the bulk of the storm.

They stopped at the edge of WindClan territory, where the moorlands dipped down and trees grew again. The Twolegplace was in sight.

"We can't go any further," Tinypaw called to Ravenpaw over the wind. "We have to get back and find Yellowfang before the storm ends."

Ravenpaw's eyes flashed with alarm for a moment. Then, he nodded.

"Will you be able to find Barley alone?" Graypaw yowled.

"I remember the way," Ravenpaw insisted loudly.

"Remember the dogs!" Graypaw called.

"I will," Ravenpaw promised. His eyes darkened, and he asked, "How can you be sure that Barley will welcome me?"

"Tell him you caught an adder once!" Graypaw exclaimed, grinning.

Ravenpaw smiled at that. Tinypaw stepped forward and licked Ravenpaw between the ears. "Go," he mewed urgently. Time was growing short. "We'll make sure everyone knows you didn't betray ThunderClan."

"How?" Ravenpaw wondered. "What if Bluefur goes looking for me?"

"She won't," Tinypaw assured him, his voice loud and stern.

"But how can you be _sure?"_ Ravenpaw insisted, panic in his eyes.

Tinypaw replied, "I shall tell her – I shall tell them all – that you are dead."


	25. Chapter 23

**Huh. This chapter somehow got itself deleted… I've rewritten it of course but it seems like I'll have to pay a bit more attention in the future…**

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**Chapter 23**

_Tinypaw and Graypaw retraced their steps into_ ThunderClan territory. The rain was beginning to ease off, but the two were still wet through. Their pace quickened, and Tinypaw could smell the urgency in the air as the sun set behind a wall of storm clouds – they had to find Yellowfang before the storm had passed entirely.

"We ought to head into ShadowClan territory," Graypaw suggested. "She might be there."

"I don't want to take that risk," Tinypaw told him. "We need to pick up her scent first. We need to make sure." _Please, please StarClan – don't let me find out that Yellowfang went to ShadowClan!_ It would only make the rumors harder to deflect.

They crossed through Fourtrees and back into the heart of ThunderClan territory. The rain seemed to make all of the smells sharper than usual, but neither Tinypaw nor Graypaw caught scent of Yellowfang until they were deep in the oak woods that surrounded ThunderClan's camp.

Tinypaw picked up her fear-scent on a bit of trampled fern. He called to Graypaw, and they followed it through the trees. Yellowfang had left a bit of a trail behind her in the storm – trampled grass, crushed ferns, displaced leaves… she would not be hard for the patrol to find.

The rain was beginning to ease, nothing but slow droplets on Tinypaw's pelt. The rumbling storm clouds were beginning to move further away on the horizon, and Tinypaw picked up the pace. Graypaw huffed beside him, but Tinypaw did not relent – they needed to find Yellowfang before it stopped raining completely. Before Bluefur did.

To Tinypaw's dismay, Yellowfang's scent was leading directly into ShadowClan territory. The two apprentices followed it through the woods, their steps careful as the trees began to thin out and the stink of the Thunderpath wafted through the rain-fresh forest. They paused at the edge of the trees, looking out at the shimmering stone path.

Beyond was ShadowClan territory – right where Yellowfang's scent led.

They said nothing as they waited for their opportunity to cross the Thunderpath. They got lucky – apparently Twoleg monsters didn't like being out in the rain any more than they did. They had a clear crossing, but they kept their ears pricked until they were safe on the other side.

ShadowClan territory lay before them, a stretch of pine woods and marshland with little undergrowth to speak of. The ground already felt wetter underpaw, and Tinypaw knew it couldn't have just been from the rain. ShadowClan scent markers, strong and foul, were just a pace ahead of them.

"I had always hoped there would be a patrol of warriors behind me when I finally came here," Graypaw panted, his yellow eyes wide.

"Afraid, are you?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw eyed him. "Of course I am!" he hissed. "Willowpelt – my mother – she told me nothing but terrible stories about ShadowClan!"

"My mother never taught me such things," Tinypaw admitted. He was relieved that his fur still clung to his body – he didn't want Graypaw seeing just how afraid he really was. Graypaw may have had more time to absorb the horror stories of ShadowClan, but Tinypaw had heard plenty enough from the elders. He'd seen enough at the Gatherings. He _knew_ ShadowClan was bad.

But they had to move on.

Tinypaw led the way. Yellowfang's scent trail seemed to be following another trail, but the latter's scent was muddied by rain and marsh. Whomever she had been following didn't seem to care _what_ they ran into – Tinypaw could tell by the stench that this was a well-trodden ShadowClan path, like the ones through the trees in ThunderClan territory.

They were in the heart of ShadowClan's hunting grounds when the smells of the marsh became almost overpowering. Graypaw wrinkled his nose and Tinypaw had to pause to pick up Yellowfang's scent again.

"The ground is so wet," Graypaw complained. "All the marsh-smell is coming through! I can't smell her."

"It's there," Tinypaw assured him. He gestured to a frond that stank of Yellowfang's scent. "She lingered here for a bit."

Graypaw flicked his ears. "I can smell _that,_ though," he mewed, twitching his whiskers.

"What?" Tinypaw hissed, alarmed. He had been so busy tracking Yellowfang he feared missing something now, so deep in enemy territory.

"Kit-scent," Graypaw told him. He gestured ahead with a paw, "There's kit blood here."

Tinypaw sniffed again. This time, now that he was looking for it, he smelled the kits. ThunderClan scent was warm and comforting compared to the harsh smells of ShadowClan. He followed it to a small patch of ground trodden by fresh paws. A pile of sticks lay nearby, probably broken in the storm. A tuft of fur clung to one branch, and a reddish splash of blood was on the ground.

"Swiftkit!" Graypaw growled. "That's his fur!"

Tinypaw sniffed the blood-patch. "And that's Thornkit's scent," he added. "The kits were here!"

"And so was Yellowfang!" Graypaw grumbled, bristling.

Tinypaw lifted his head and sniffed, clearing his nose of ThunderClan scent. He picked up Yellowfang's scent easily, and then meowed, "But she didn't leave here. Her scent still seems fresh. She's nearby!"

It took a moment to pinpoint just where Yellowfang had gone. He spotted the dead ash not too far away – the tree was uprooted long ago, leaning on its side with its gnarled roots splayed in the air. It leafless branches twitched in the light breeze. Tinypaw spotted a tuft of matted gray fur, and his flicked his tail against Graypaw's shoulder.

The gray tom grunted, and Tinypaw hissed for silence.

Together, using their best stalking techniques, they split up and each crept around one side of the tree. Tinypaw spotted Yellowfang first, thankfully – the old she-cat was panting, pressed up against the dead trunk of the ash. When Graypaw rounded his side, Tinypaw gave a tiny nod.

They sprang.

Yellowfang let out a startled howl as they descended. Tinypaw kept his claws sheathed, and thankfully Graypaw did as well – when Yellowfang, squashed beneath them, began to wiggle, the two let her go. Yellowfang pulled herself to her paws and then whirled to face the two apprentices.

"I _knew_ they would blame me!" she wailed.

"Where are the kits?" Graypaw demanded, his gray fur fluffing out. "We can smell their blood – what have you done to them?"

"I don't have them!" Yellowfang growled angrily. Her back arched slightly, and Tinypaw could see her pelt prickling. "I came to find them – to take them back. I stopped because I smelled the blood too – but they're not here!"

Tinypaw and Graypaw shared a glance.

"I _don't have them!"_ Yellowfang insisted.

"Why did you run, then?" Graypaw asked. He stepped forward, his eyes narrowed. "Why did you kill Spottedleaf?"

Yellowfang's jaw dropped, and Tinypaw saw her fur flatten in shock. The old she-cat lowered her tail and whispered, "Spottedleaf is… Spottedleaf is _dead?"_

Tinypaw couldn't help but feel a wave of relief wash over him. Yellowfang looked as if the news had hit her as hard as any blow, and if she had done the deed there was no way her reaction could be so genuine.

Still, he had to be sure: "You didn't know?" Tinypaw asked.

Yellowfang shook her head, her eyes round. "I left the camp as soon as I heard the kits were missing," she replied.

Graypaw flicked his tail, eyes dark with suspicion, but Tinypaw sighed with relief.

"I know who took the kits," Yellowfang went on. "Clawface – I smelled his scent near the nursery. He's surely taken them to Brokenstar, and as long as they're in Brokenstar's paws they are in great danger."

"Surely even Brokenstar wouldn't harm kits?" Tinypaw wondered.

Yellowfang hung her head and sighed. "Don't be so naïve, Tinypaw," she said. "Brokenstar intends to use them as warriors."

"But they're only five moons old!" Graypaw burst.

Yellowfang looked up at the apprentices. "It hasn't stopped him before – Brokenstar has trained kits as young as three moons since he became leader. At five moons he sends them out as warriors!"

Tinypaw's mind flashed back to his first Gathering. The ShadowClan apprentice who quaked beneath Whitestorm's judgmental gaze came to mind, and suddenly he realized that the little tabby hadn't only just been small – _he had been a kit!_

"Wouldn't they be too small to fight?" Graypaw reasoned.

"Brokenstar doesn't care about that," Yellowfang growled. "He has plenty more kits to spare, and even if ShadowClan runs out, well, he won't hesitate to steal them from other Clans!" Her eyes filled with rage. "After all, this is the cat who killed kits from his own Clan!"

Tinypaw looked at her, stunned.

"Why wasn't he punished?" Tinypaw demanded. "No cat can get away with killing a kit!"

"He lied," Yellowfang replied, bitterness seeping from every word. "He accused _me_ of their murder, and ShadowClan believed him!"

"So that's why you were driven from ShadowClan!" Tinypaw realized. Yellowfang nodded at him, her eyes somber with memories. Tinypaw stepped forward and insisted, "You have to come back with us – you need to tell Tigerstar!"

Yellowfang's eyes blazed again. "Not before I've rescued your kits!" she insisted.

Tinypaw felt a fresh wind stirring his pelt. He glanced up – the sky was clear of clouds but for a few low-hanging wisps. The moon was rising, and stars were patterning the sky. Silverpelt was beginning to appear overhead. They were not safe here for much longer.

"How could a leader – or any cat – do that to kits from their own Clan?" Graypaw wondered. He was clearly reeling from the news.

"Brokenstar insisted on training them too hard when they were too young," Yellowfang answered. He took two away for battle practice – they were only four moons old. They were gone for most of the day, but when they came back Brokenstar dropped their bodies at my paws. They bore scratches and bites of full warriors and some dark fur was tufted between their claws – Brokenstar had fought them himself.

"There was nothing I could do," Yellowfang wheezed. "When their mother came to see them, Brokenstar proclaimed that he had found me standing over their dead bodies."

"Why didn't you tell the truth?" Tinypaw asked.

Yellowfang hung her head. "I couldn't."

"Why not?"

Yellowfang hesitated a moment – when she spoke, her voice was heavy with regret. "Brokenstar is ShadowClan's leader. Noble Raggedstar was his father – and a Clan leader's word is law."

Tinypaw glanced at Graypaw, his heart heavy for Yellowfang. Tinypaw gave her as long a moment as he felt he could before he meowed, "We'll rescue the kits together. Tonight. We can't stay here, though." He sniffed the air, and his hackles rose. "I smell the ThunderClan patrol coming. If Bluefur is with them, she won't hesitate to attack you, Yellowfang. She won't give us a chance to explain."

Yellowfang lifted her head, glancing at Tinypaw. Her eyes flashed, as if she were confused about him speaking of his mentor in such a way. Then, she flicked her tail towards someplace distant. "There's peat this way," she mewed. "It will hide our scent."

She leaped into a clump of ferns, and Graypaw and Tinypaw followed. Yellowfang led them through winding ShadowClan paths, but Tinypaw could hear the steps of the ThunderClan warriors now, louder and louder. Yellowfang picked up the pace – she could hear them too.

They were almost at full pelt when they collectively realized that the patrol would catch them, no matter what. Tinypaw's paws lagged in the peat, and beside him Graypaw was grunting to move forward through the stick muck. Yellowfang trotted through it confidently though, and Tinypaw suspected she might have webbed paws tucked beneath her matted fur.

Yellowfang stopped beside a bush with broad, dark, leaves. The ThunderClan patrol was not far off now, and Tinypaw couldn't stop his spine from bristling.

"Here," Yellowfang insisted. "Hide here."

She didn't wait for them – Yellowfang crawled into the bush. Tinypaw followed, cursing under his breath as the peat sucked at his belly fur. Graypaw was just behind him, nose curled against the heady stench.

They settled there, the wet ground seeping into their fur, as the sound of the ThunderClan cats got closer and closer…


	26. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

_The patrol was traveling fast, and_ Tinypaw could tell that there were plenty of cats on it. The boggy smells rising all around him prevented him from telling who the cats were, and he frowned. He could tell they were ThunderClan, but knowing who was who could make this situation end differently.

Graypaw waited until the patrol had passed before he hissed to Yellowfang, "Are we really going to try doing this on our own?"

"Not all the cats in ShadowClan support Brokenstar," Yellowfang answered quietly. "I may be able to find us some help from the inside."

Tinypaw blinked in shock, and Graypaw's tail twitched.

"When Brokenstar became leader, he drove out the old and the sick," Yellowfang explained. "They live on the boundary and hunt for themselves. These cats have grown up with the warrior code – Brokenstar didn't want them starting any trouble. Some may help us."

Tinypaw frowned, "I may be able to convince the patrol to help, too. Will that be enough?"

"It would have to be," Yellowfang meowed. "To save the kits in time we need to act fast. Brokenstar won't hesitate to hurt them."

"Graypaw, wait at the dead ash for one of us to return," Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw looked uncertain. He glanced at Yellowfang and meowed, "Can we really trust these other cats to help us?"

"We _must,"_ Yellowfang hissed. "Or your kits are as good as gone!"

"She's right," Tinypaw agreed. "There's no more time to doubt. Either we come back as heroes with the kits in tow, or we're as good as dead."

* * *

The trail of the ThunderClan patrol was easy to follow – they didn't bother sneaking through the sparse undergrowth, and even with the smells of the bog their scent was easy to follow.

Silverpelt glittered across the night sky above. The clouds had long since passed, and the air was quiet and smelled of the fresh rain. The moon had risen, but its light couldn't pierce through the broad leaves of the marshy growths – only shafts broke through here and there, dotting the dark ground with spots of light.

Tinypaw concentrated on the scents before him, pushing all else away. He smelled Whitestorm, and not Bluefur – his fur prickled with relief. Picking up the pace, Tinypaw dashed ahead and soon came into contact with the patrol.

The warriors turned on him, fur bristling aggressively. Darkstripe bared his teeth, and Mousefur had her claws unsheathed. Beside her, her brother Runningwind's eyes blazed in defiance. Willowpelt stood tall and proud beside Whitestorm, poised to strike.

"Tinypaw!" Whitestorm gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Tigerstar sent me to find Yellowfang," Tinypaw panted. "Please, you must -"

Whitestorm interrupted him. "Ah!" he breathed. "Tigerstar warned me I might find a familiar face out here. Now I see what he meant." He looked thoughtfully at Tinypaw.

"Is… Bluefur near?" Tinypaw asked, pelt tingling at Whitestorm's gaze.

Willowpelt shook her head, replying, "Tigerstar asked her to stay behind. Why?"

Tinypaw didn't bother replying. "I need your help," he meowed, looking to Whitestorm and meeting the white tom's pale eyes. "Graypaw and I plan to rescue the kits tonight – we know where they are. Will you come?"

Whitestorm's eyes flashed. "Of course!" he agreed, wholeheartedly. The patrol shifted on their paws, tails lifting in confidence.

"It will mean raiding the ShadowClan camp," Tinypaw warned.

"Can you take us there?" Runningwind asked. He – and the rest of the patrol – didn't seem fazed by the idea of raiding an enemy Clan's camp for their kits.

"No; but Yellowfang can," Tinypaw assured him. "She has old friends who are going to help us get in and save the kits."

Mousefur's tail fell. She looked at Tinypaw skeptically. "You've found Yellowfang?" she hissed.

"I… don't understand," Whitestorm mewed. "The traitor is going to help us rescue the kits _she_ stole?"

"She didn't steal the kits, and for that matter she didn't kill Spottedleaf," Tinypaw insisted. "She wants to help us rescue our kits. Will you come or not?"

Whitestorm blinked, slowly, looking at Tinypaw. "We'll come," he agreed. "Lead the way."

* * *

Graypaw was pacing restlessly around the old ash tree, thick tail lashing to and fro when Tinypaw and the patrol approached. He stopped, looking up to meet Tinypaw's eyes when the smaller cat broke through the undergrowth.

"Any sign of Yellowfang?" Tinypaw asked.

Graypaw shook his head. "Not yet," he mewed.

Whitestorm stiffened beside Tinypaw. "She'll come back!" he assured the older warrior. "We don't know how far those older cats have ranged."

"She could just be sharing tongues with her old comrades!" Darkstripe hissed, "While a patrol heads this way to take us out."

"Tinypaw?" Whitestorm asked levelly.

"She'll be here," Tinypaw insisted.

"Well said, young one," Yellowfang chuckled. The old she-cat pushed her way through the undergrowth, coming out from behind the ash tree. Behind her came a small group of rag-tag cats, all elderly. One let out a cough – but all their eyes burned. "You're not the only cat who can sneak up on someone – the day we met you were looking the wrong way, too."

Yellowfang settled herself on one of the ash's gnarled roots. Her three elderly companions settled beside her, their eyes flickering from one ThunderClan cat to another. The ThunderClan patrol bristled, suspicion in their eyes.

Both groups stared at one another. The tension in the air made Tinypaw swallow. Finally, a skinny gray-black tom, his fur unkempt and his bones jutting out from his pelt, stood. He bore the same low-slung body that most ShadowClan cats boasted, with wide paws and narrow ears. "We have come to help you, not harm you," he meowed. "We want your kits rescued as much as you do."

"Why?" Darkstripe hissed. "What's in it for you?"

"We want your help in getting rid of Brokenstar," the ashen tom growled. "He has broken the warrior code many times over, and has caused ShadowClan great suffering because of it."

"Oh, so it's simple then!" Runningwing complained sarcastically. "We just drop into your camp, get the kits, kill your leader, and be on our merry way!"

One of the other elderly cats, a night-black tom, meowed, "You won't find as much resistance as you think."

Yellowfang sighed. "Let me introduce you to my old friends," she meowed. She stood, and brushed past the gray tom. "This is Ashtail, an elder of the Clan – the black tom is Nightpelt, a senior warrior.

"And this is Dawncloud, an elder queen. Two of her kits died fighting WindClan," Yellowfang finished, nodding to a small tabby she-cat.

Dawncloud dipped her head. "I do not want to lose any more of my kits… and I certainly wouldn't wish that pain on any queen in any Clan," she meowed.

"I won't question your skill," Whitestorm decided. He licked his chest fur, smoothing it down. "You snuck up on us well enough – but are there enough of you? What will we expect to face in the camp with so few?"

"Whatever Brokenstar has fed you, it's a lie," Ashtail meowed. "The old and the sick are slowly starving. We lose kits constantly to his brutal training – the casualties are more than we can cope with."

"If ShadowClan is such a mess, though," Willowpelt mewed, "then how have you shown such strength? Why is Brokenstar still your leader?"

Ashtail answered, "Brokenstar is surrounded by an elite group of his best warriors, ones who would die for him without question. The others obey his orders only because they are frightened. They'll fight for Brokenstar so long as they think he will win – but should it look like he will lose…"

"They would fight _against_ him, not _for_ him!" Darkstripe finished in disgust. "What sort of loyalty is that?"

The hackles of the ShadowClan cats began to rise, and Tinypaw spotted Nightpelt beginning to bristle.

Yellowfang stepped in, sweeping her tail over her former comrades. "Our Clan was not always like this," she soothed. "When Raggedstar led ShadowClan, we were feared for our strength – strength that came from loyalty to the warrior code, not from fear and bloodlust." She sighed. "If only Raggedstar had lived longer…"

"What happened to him?" Tinypaw wondered.

Whitestorm seemed to be thinking the same thing. The white warrior added, "We've only ever heard rumors at Gatherings. No one seemed to know for sure."

"He as ambushed by an enemy patrol," Yellowfang replied, her eyes full of emotion. Tinypaw tipped his head in curiosity – she must have really cared about her leader, to miss him so.

Whitestorm nodded thoughtfully. "Yes," he mused, "that's what most cats seemed to think. These are bad times indeed, if leaders are being picked off in the dark instead of in open, honorable battle."

Tinypaw shifted uncomfortably. The events that Ravenpaw had told him of raced through his mind, and Tinypaw couldn't help but feel a shiver. Taking his mind off of the issues at hand, he asked, "How are we going to take the kits without alerting the entire Clan?"

"You won't be able to steal them in secret, I'm afraid," Dawncloud replied. "They are very closely guarded, and Brokenstar will be expecting an attempt to get them back. Open attack is unavoidable."

"Then we must concentrate our attack on Brokenstar and his inner guard," Whitestorm decided. "They will be our greatest threats."

Yellowfang frowned in thought. Then, her eyes flashed. "I have an idea," she meowed. "The ShadowClan warriors could lead me into camp, saying they had captured me – surely that would draw out all of Brokenstar's warriors from their dens? News of my capture would spread like wildfire. Once they're out in the open, we can give the signal to attack."

Tinypaw blinked. That could just work! An arrogant cat like Brokenstar wouldn't be able to resist gloating to the whole Clan about "capturing" Yellowfang. He just hoped Yellowfang wouldn't get too hurt by the plan.

Whitestorm frowned, thinking it over. Then, his face grave, he meowed, "Very well – we'll do it. Please, Yellowfang; lead the way to the ShadowClan camp."


	27. Chapter 25

**One more chapter of this story to go!**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

_Tinypaw, Graypaw, Whitestorm, and the others_ followed Yellowfang as she turned away from the dead ash. She pushed through the bracken, and began leading the cats through the winding paths of ShadowClan territory.

Despite the urgency of the situation, Tinypaw found himself trembling with excitement – his weariness from the long day was forgotten as the moon shone down on the pine woods.

It didn't take long to reach the ShadowClan camp – the stench of ShadowClan and rotting meat alerted the cats long before Yellowfang pushed through another layer of bracken to point it out to them. Tinypaw took a daring step forward to examine the camp – unlike ThunderClan's secure walls, these brambles fortifications were crumbled and broken, with holes as big as a cat here and there. The smell of rotted meat permeated the air.

"You eat _crow-food?"_ Graypaw gasped, disgusted.

"Our warriors have been used for attacking, not hunting," Ashtail explained. "We've been eating whatever can be found."

Tinypaw gagged – no cat should eat crow-food. The rotten meat would cause sickness, even death – no wonder most of ShadowClan looked thin and tired! Fear was the only thing giving them energy when they needed it.

_Brokenstar will pay,_ he thought, sliding his claws in and out.

"ThunderClan, you hide in that clump of bracken over there," Yellowfang mewed, pointing it out with her tail. "There are toadstools that will hide your scent. Wait until you hear my call."

Whitestorm led the patrol into the bush, Graypaw following behind – but Tinypaw hesitated. He turned to Yellowfang and quickly touched his nose to her flank.

"Be careful," he murmured.

"Go," Yellowfang rasped. She licked his ear. "I will be fine."

Tinypaw turned away and pushed into the bracken. He ignored Darkstripe's hiss of disapproval and Mousefur's suspicious glare as he settled himself beside Graypaw and Whitestorm. Here was definitely a good spot – he could easily see movement in the lowland camp on this little hill, and he could clearly see Yellowfang as Ashtail, Dawncloud, and Nightpelt led her through the brambles.

Time seemed to stretch out into forever – Tinypaw kept watching, eyes darting over every pelt he could glimpse. He could feel the pelts of his Clanmates bristling in anticipation all around him – Whitestorm seemed to be the calmest of the group, but even his thick white coat was on end. Graypaw was a ball of fluff with legs.

"What's taking so long?" Graypaw wondered, shivering in the cold of the night.

Darkstripe curled his lip and growled, "I told you she was nothing but a -"

Yellowfang's screech interrupted his words, and Tinypaw was grateful. Had Darkstripe finished that sentence Tinypaw would have clawed him.

Whitestorm shot to his paws, and without a word the ThunderClan cats sprang into action. They burst from the bracken, heading for the camp. They tore through the bramble barrier and into the clearing. Tinypaw and Graypaw leaped through a hole about their size, leaving only a small hunk of fur from their spines behind.

It was hard to see much but hardened mud as the clearing of the camp erupted into battle. Groups of warriors were clustered together, clawing and fighting. Tinypaw spotted Yellowfang and her friends battling side-by-side with cats far fitter and stronger than they were, and holding their own while they were at it.

Whitestorm let out a howl, and the ThunderClan cats surged into the battlefield. Tinypaw rushed up to a silver tabby, grasping her flanks in his claws. She let out a screech – despite her skinny, patchy appearance she had plenty of muscle beneath her short coat. The tabby whirled, but Tinypaw was far faster than she was – he sliced a claw down her cheek, and she fled.

Tinypaw felt claws on his tail, and he turned to find an apprentice had pounced on him. Their soft, kitten fur was fluffed up, and they did their best to let out a menacing hiss – but Tinypaw cuffed them around the ears and snapped, "This is not your battle!"

With the apprentice fleeing, Tinypaw took a breath and gave himself a moment to survey the battlefield. Graypaw was tussling with a ShadowClan warrior, and seemed to be doing just fine. Willowpelt and Whitestorm were attacking one of the stronger-looking warriors, keeping him trapped and spinning round and round with confusing maneuvers. They sent him packing quickly and moved on to another. Runningwind was holding his own, and Mousefur was near him doing the same. Darkstripe was chasing away another young, kit-soft apprentice, his claws sheathed.

Tinypaw spotted Blackfoot emerging from a den – but before Tinypaw could spring, to finish the fight he had with him, Whitestorm pinned Blackfoot to the ground. The wounds the black-and-white deputy received made him squeal, and Whitestorm sent him running.

"_Tinypaw!"_

Dawncloud's voice rocketed across the battlefield – but it was too late. Clawface had barreled into Tinypaw, knocking the smaller cat off of his paws. Tinypaw tried getting his footing, but Clawface swiped hard at his shoulder, sending Tinypaw to the ground. Clawface grinned, looming over Tinypaw with a menacing glare.

_You killed Spottedleaf!_ Tinypaw thought, suddenly charged with energy. He could almost smell her sweet scent. _You won't get away with murdering one of my Clanmates! I won't let you!_

Tinypaw surged forward, belly to the ground. He dug his claws into Clawface's back legs, finding the tendon that Bluefur had taught him about what seemed like ages ago. As she had promised, Clawface let out a surprised yowl and he buckled, falling to the ground face-first.

Wriggling out from beneath Clawface, Tinypaw hopped to his paws and planted his forepaws on Clawface's shoulder, pinning him. Clawface looked up, eyes pools of fear, as Tinypaw opened his jaws and bore down on his spine.

A white flash stopped him. Whitestorm pulled Tinypaw off of Clawface and tossed him aside. Tinypaw lay in the dust, confused, as Whitestorm clawed Clawface down his side before letting the bigger tabby go. Whitestorm turned to Tinypaw, yellow eyes narrowed.

"We do _not_ kill, Tinypaw," he growled. "Not unless we have to. Our job is to defend our Clan, and make our enemies never wish to return."

Tinypaw nodded numbly. As revolted as he had felt after training in death blows with Bluefur, Tinypaw was shocked at himself to realize just how easily he could have ended Clawface's life. _I wouldn't have felt anything for his loss, either,_ he thought. _I would have killed him and gone to sleep without another thought on the matter._

"Pay attention!" Whitestorm insisted. "This is no time for thinking!"

Tinypaw looked around. Most of Brokenstar's inner guard was gone – but Brokenstar himself remained, tussling with Yellowfang and Graypaw. Tinypaw took a step forward to join them, but Brokenstar kicked Graypaw off of his back and sent the heavy gray tom flying. Graypaw crashed into Tinypaw, and the two lay sprawled on the ground, momentarily dazed.

Brokenstar let out a screech of frustration. "I _never_ thought you would prove harder to kill than my father!" he roared.

Yellowfang's eyes went wide, and she stepped away from Brokenstar, her fur fluffed up in shock. Breathlessly, she gasped, "You… _you_ killed Raggedstar?"

The fighting died down almost instantly. The ShadowClan warriors who hadn't fled stopped fighting, dropping to their paws with eyes wide with shock. They padded forward, forming a half-circle around Brokenstar and Yellowfang. Gasps of sorrow and anger rose from their ranks, and a few let out yowls of despair.

"Of _course_ I did, you mouse-brained fool!" Brokenstar spat. _"You_ found his body – did you not recognize my fur between his claws? He was soft – foolish! He _deserved_ to die!"

Brokenstar leaped onto Yellowfang, digging his claws into her belly. Tinypaw watched with alarm as Yellowfang allowed herself to be pinned, her eyes looking up into Brokenstar's with nothing but sadness.

"No!" she growled, her tone filled with sorrow. "And Brightflower's kits? My kin? Did _they_ deserve to die, too?"

"Those kits were _weak,"_ Brokenstar spat. "Just like the rest of you! If I hadn't ended their pitiful existence, some other warrior would have."

A cry of horror went up from the crowd. Tinypaw craned his neck to see an older ginger queen yowling in grief, huddled up in a ball of sadness. Dawncloud limped over to comfort her.

"I should have killed _you_ when I had the chance," Brokenstar growled, brining Tinypaw's attention back to the scuffle before him. "It seems I have some of my father's softness after all – but I will fix that mistake now."

Brokenstar raised a paw.

"_No!"_ Tinypaw yowled.

He surged from the crowd, feeling air touch his belly as he sprang. He grasped Brokenstar's upraised paw in his jaws and clamped down, hard. Using all his strength, Tinypaw brought Brokenstar down, off of Yellowfang. Tinypaw spat out his paw and leaped again, only to be batted away by a rough swipe.

"What's this – a kit playing at being a warrior?" Brokenstar hissed. "Don't waste your time – I'm a Clan leader. I've shared dreams with StarClan! You'll have to kill me nine times over before I'm gone – and you won't survive that all on your own."

"He's not alone!" Graypaw growled.

Brokenstar glared in defiance at Graypaw. "I'm afraid your help won't do much more than add to the body count, little scrap," he spat. "But come on – fight me. I'll enjoy killing you."

Graypaw stepped forward, but so did the ring of cats – ShadowClan and ThunderClan surrounded Brokenstar, glaring at him with malice and hatred. Tinypaw caught the gleam of unsheathed claws, and realized that ShadowClan were done with Brokenstar – they were willing to fight him. The fear was gone from their eyes, and all that remained was the determination to drive out this horrible cat.

Brokenstar's crooked tail twitched. He curled his lip at his Clan.

Tinypaw pushed himself to his paws. "Leave, Brokenstar," he growled. "This is not your Clan any longer."

ShadowClan let out howls of agreement – the words and insults they slung at him would have brought a cat to their knees if words could strike like a blow. Brokenstar's confidence faded from his eyes, and he took a step back. He turned his head from side to side, flustered, looking for his warriors – but they were gone.

His eyes landed on Tinypaw, yellow pool of pure hatred. "This isn't over, _apprentice,"_ he snarled.

"But it is," Yellowfang rasped. "Go, Brokenstar – leave this place, or die here."

Brokenstar let out a hiss of frustration. He turned and pushed his way through the crowd, streaking away before ShadowClan got their claws in him. Tinypaw watched him go, satisfaction welling up in his belly. He turned to Yellowfang, expecting to see the same – but he found that her orange eyes were clouded with sadness as ShadowClan cheered for their liberation around her.

"Do we go after them?" Runningwind asked.

Whitestorm shook his head. "I think they got the message," he rumbled.

"Yes," Nightpelt agreed, stepping forward. One of his ears was torn, and he was missing a flankful of fur - but he looked triumphant and proud. "Let them go – they are not welcome here. If they dare show their faces again, ShadowClan will be strong enough to take them down."

"The kits!"

Graypaw's relieved cry alerted the Clans. Tinypaw spotted the ginger queen – Brightflower – and Dawncloud walking beside two trembling bundles of fur. Frostfur's kits were safe, and Tinypaw felt relief wash over him as Graypaw gave each a sniff.

"Are they all right?" Whitestorm asked.

"Thornkit's got a nasty scratch," Graypaw reported, "and Swiftkit seems to have lost most of his fur – but they're OK otherwise."

"Yellowfang," Tinypaw offered, "will you look at Thornkit?"

Yellowfang had been standing amongst her former Clanmates, her eyes fixed on the entrance. When Tinypaw spoke, her eyes brightened to attention. She seemed to jerk awake from a waking dream, and she looked over at the kits. Without a word, she padded over to them, giving Thornkit's shoulder a lick.

"This bleeding won't stop on its own," Yellowfang reported.

Out of the crowd padded Runningnose. The gray-and-white tom had cobwebs wrapped around one paw, and Yellowfang gratefully accepted them. Runningnose stepped back, looking on his old mentor with pride as she pressed the cobwebs into Thornkit's shoulder. The golden brown tabby let out a squeal.

Warmth spread throughout Tinypaw, and he smiled, grateful that Yellowfang seemed all right.

Nightpelt approached Whitestorm, and Tinypaw turned to listen.

"You have helped us rid ourselves of a brutal and dangerous leader," Nightpelt meowed. "But I feel that it is now time for ThunderClan to leave. As long as we can find food in our own territory, I promise that yours will be free of ShadowClan warriors."

"Hunt in peace for a moon, Nightpelt," Whitestorm offered. "ThunderClan understands it will take time to rebuild ShadowClan." He turned to Yellowfang. "And you, Yellowfang? Will you stay with your old comrades, or come with us?"

Yellowfang looked up from the kit. "I will return with you," she stated, glancing at the wounds on all the ThunderClan cats. "You will need a medicine cat – for yourselves as well as these kits."

"Thank you," Whitestorm purred. Tinypaw purred as well, pressing against Yellowfang affectionately. The old she-cat helped Thornkit to his paws, nudging him along and keeping a close eye on him as they headed out of the camp. Mousefur and Graypaw kept an eye on Swiftkit.

With Whitestorm in the lead and the others in the rear, they pushed through the brambles and set themselves on the path to their home. Brown leaves fluttered to the ground around them as the moon, high in the sky now, shone down on their backs.

Tinypaw took a deep breath of the cool air. Finally, after such a long day, they were heading home.


	28. Chapter 26

**And here it is, the end of the first part of the story! Thank you all for your patience and acceptance, and your wonderful reviews! You guys are awesome!**

**I'll be working on the sequel now - there are going to be more obvious changes in that one than there were in this one, and I look forward to it all! Until I get a little buffer going of the sequel, look forward to more chapters of _Blood of the Tiger,_ and possibly a short story to go in-between this and its sequel. I haven't decided yet.**

**Anyway, I'm sure you're all looking forward to the end of _Into the Wild_ - I know I was! From here on out it's the wild west for warrior names - some will be the same, some won't... and some won't be what you expected at all! **

**Without**** further ado, here it is - the closing chapter of _Tinystar's Beginning: Into the Wild_!**

* * *

**Chapter 26**

_Frostfur was huddled in the center_ of the camp, eyes blue pools of misery. She didn't lift her head when Tinypaw and Graypaw pushed their way into the camp ahead of the patrol – but when Willowpelt and Mousefur padded in, kits in tow, Frostfur's head shot up and joy flooded over the grieving queen.

"My kits!" she cried. Nothing but a white streak, she rushed for Thornkit and Swiftkit, licking them both and purring. Mousefur and Willowpelt stepped aside, allowing the queen to relish being with her kits again.

Her cries alerted the camp – soon enough, most of ThunderClan was out of their dens, eyes round and curious. Tinypaw spotted Yellowfang hanging back near the camp entrance, eyes darting awkwardly to and fro.

Spottedleaf's body lay in the clearing. Most of her mourners had gotten up thanks to the commotion – Tigerstar was the last of them, getting to his paws and striding through the crowd to greet the returning patrol. Bluefur stepped in beside him, throwing a suspicious glare at Yellowfang.

"Are you all right?" Tigerstar asked Whitestorm.

"We're fine," the white warrior answered, dipping his head. "The kits are, too."

"Well done, Whitestorm," Tigerstar meowed, his amber eyes glowing. "ThunderClan honors you."

Whitestorm lifted his head, eyes shimmering at his leader's praise. "I am grateful; but it was thanks to these apprentices that we found the kits at all," he meowed, flicking his tail to Tinypaw and Graypaw.

Tinypaw lifted his head under Tigerstar's approving gaze, and opened his mouth to tell the story of what had happened – but Bluefur's accusing growl cut him off.

"What is _she_ doing here?" Bluefur growled. "Why did you bring back this traitor?"

"She is no traitor!" Tinypaw snapped, narrowing his eyes at Bluefur. Their eyes met, and Tinypaw suddenly felt a rush of self-consciousness. Was he really going to talk back to his mentor right now? For Yellowfang, for _Ravenpaw,_ he figured he had to.

Longtail scoffed, eyeing Yellowfang with hatred. "She _killed_ Spottedleaf!" he growled.

"Look between Spottedleaf's claws," Graypaw offered, a challenge in his eyes. "You'll find the brown fur of Clawface – not Yellowfang's gray fur!"

Tigerstar nodded to Mousefur – the brown warrior shot off immediately. The Clan waited in tense silence for her to return with the truth. When Mousefur came back, her eyes were full of confusion.

"Graypaw is right," Mousefur announced. "Spottedleaf was not attacked by a gray cat."

A ripple of surprise shuddered through the crowd.

"But that doesn't mean she didn't have a paw in taking the kits!" Bluefur insisted, blue eyes blazing.

"Without Yellowfang, we never would have _found_ the kits!" Tinypaw retorted. He let his neck fur fluff in irritation – would she let it go already and just _listen?_ "She knew ShadowClan cats had taken them – she was looking for them when Graypaw and I found her. She risked her life for those kits! She's the one who came up with the plan to get us into the ShadowClan camp to get them back! She was the one who gave us the chance to defeat Brokenstar!"

Astonishment flashed across the cats of ThunderClan – all but Bluefur, who did not take her eyes off of Tinypaw. Tinypaw could not tell what the deputy was thinking, and Tinypaw's heart was throbbing in his ears.

"It's true," Whitestorm offered. "Yellowfang is a friend."

"I'm glad to hear it," Tigerstar rumbled, glancing at Tinypaw – the young apprentice tore his eyes away from his mentor to catch the look. A warm feeling spread through his body, melting the ice that Bluefur had put there.

"Is… Is Brokenstar dead?" mewed Oakheart.

"No, he regrettably escaped," Whitestorm replied. "But he will never lead ShadowClan – or any Clan – again."

Frostfur let out a sigh of relief, nuzzling her kits. Thornkit, despite his injury, scrambled around his mother, excitedly whispering about his adventure – Swiftkit was huddled closer to Frostfur, snoring.

Whitestorm blinked at them, then looked back at Tigerstar. "I promised ShadowClan peace for a moon," he explained. "Brokenstar left them… ruined."

Tigerstar nodded his great head. "A wise and generous offer," he agreed. He padded past Whitestorm and the patrol, coming to stand before Yellowfang. He looked upon the old gray she-cat with sympathy and admiration. He leaned forward and touched Yellowfang's coat with his nose.

"Yellowfang," he rumbled, "I would like you to replace Spottedleaf as ThunderClan's medicine cat. I am sure you will find her supplies where she left them."

Yellowfang glanced about anxiously as the Clan murmured in surprise and approval. Yellowfang glanced at Tinypaw, uncertainty in her eyes, and Tinypaw gave her an encouraging nod. If anyone wanted her to stay in ThunderClan, after all that had happened, it was Tinypaw. _We need you, you old bone-bag,_ he thought affectionately. _I need you._

The old she-cat glanced at the queens. "I…" she began, uncertain.

Frostfur purred, her eyes brimming with gratitude. "It would be a blessing to have you, Yellowfang," the white queen breathed. The other queens nodded in agreement – even prickly Speckletail looked at Yellowfang with appreciation in her eyes.

Yellowfang blinked, her eyes suddenly certain. She looked to Tigerstar and dipped her head, mewing, "I accept. ShadowClan is no longer the Clan I once knew – ThunderClan is my home now."

Tinypaw smiled at Yellowfang. He was sad that he would never see Spottedleaf again, but Yellowfang was his friend. The old she-cat he had come to love would be their new medicine cat now, always there with her sharp tongue.

"Where is Ravenpaw?" Tigerstar asked suddenly. He moved his great head about, searching the crowd for the skinny black tom. "My apprentice – where is he?"

"Yes," Bluefur agreed. She did not seem to care one way or the other that Yellowfang was now the medicine cat – nor that Tinypaw had openly defied her in front of the Clan. She got to her paws, blue eyes blazing. "Strange that he should disappear now!"

"If you think he was working with Brokenstar, you were wrong!" Tinypaw snapped, narrowing his eyes at Bluefur once again. _Yes,_ he thought, as her blue eyes burned into his. _I know what you were trying to do to my friend!_

Remembering his promise, Tinypaw dipped his head in grief. "Ravenpaw is dead," he meowed. Shocked mews rose from the Clan, and Dustpaw's fur stood straight up. "Graypaw and I found him on the border of ShadowClan just before we found Yellowfang. A ShadowClan patrol had slain him on-sight."

He glanced up at Tigerstar, whose amber eyes were wide with the shock of losing his apprentice. "I will tell you everything later," Tinypaw promised.

"I never wished to insist that Ravenpaw was a traitor," Bluefur reasoned, her eyes clouding with grief for but a moment. "His loss is a great blow to ThunderClan."

_Empty words! _Tinypaw longed to hiss aloud. He dug his claws into the earth. _I saved him from you!_

"He would have made a fine warrior," Tigerstar murmured, his head bowed. "I only wish I could have spent more time with him, before the end."

He lifted his head. "It is a great loss, but we will mourn him tomorrow," Tigerstar decided. "First, there is another ritual to preform – one that I know Ravenpaw would have loved to be part of." He drew his gaze over Tinypaw and Graypaw. "You have shown great courage tonight, the both of you. Did they fight well, Whitestorm?"

"Like warriors," Whitestorm replied solemnly.

Tigerstar met his gaze, and nodded. Then, he looked up at the night sky – Silverpelt blazed ahead, twinkling and sparkling against the night sky. Tigerstar raised his voice, the rumbling roar like thunder in the sky: "I, Tigerstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

He looked back down, amber eyes burning into Tinypaw and Graypaw. "Tinypaw, Graypaw – do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

Tinypaw suddenly felt memories stirring in his mind – every bit of prey he had stalked, every move he had learned, every friend he had made, and every struggle had led up to this moment. From the day he stepped paw outside of his home in the Twolegplace, he had faced all the trials of warriorhood. He was a kittypet no longer.

He was a warrior.

"I do," Tinypaw replied solemnly.

"I do," echoed Graypaw.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names," Tigerstar announced. "Graypaw, you will be known as Graystripe. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Tigerstar touched his nose to Graystripe's forehead, and Graystripe bent his head to give Tigerstar a respectful lick on the shoulder. Graystripe stepped back, eyes glowing.

Tigerstar cast his amber gaze upon Tinypaw. He stared, thoughtful, for a moment, before announcing, "Tinypaw, you will be known as Tinyclaw. StarClan honors your loyalty and your skill, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He touched his muzzle to Tinyclaw's head, and murmured, "I am proud to have you as my warrior, Tinyclaw. Serve your Clan well, little one."

Tinyclaw's muscles were trembling with gratitude – it was hard to stretch to reach Tigerstar's shoulder. He managed, however, and Tinyclaw licked his leader's shoulder respectfully. He purred to show his thanks before stepping away to join Graystripe.

Yowls of tribute sounded from the crowd, some voices louder than others: "Tinyclaw! Graystripe! Tinyclaw! Graystripe!"

Tinyclaw felt overwhelmed by the respect of his Clanmates, those he had trained with and fought beside for the past two seasons. He had never felt more at home, or more comfortable, in his life – and Tinyclaw realized that he never, ever, wanted that to change. _If only Rusty could see me now!_ He thought.

"It is just past moonhigh," Tigerstar meowed, the crowd calming at his voice. "In the tradition of our ancestors, Tinyclaw and Graystripe will keep silent vigil until dawn, to guard the camp and reflect upon their apprenticeships and new honors."

Tinyclaw and Graystripe nodded, silently and solemnly.

The rest of the Clan began to melt away into the shadows of their dens, some staying to observe Spottedleaf before she was buried by the elders. Bluefur blinked at Tinyclaw, striding up beside him.

"You have done well, my apprentice," she mewed quietly into his ear. "But do not think I am a fool. I know just what you are up to… and I must say your betrayal was something I had not foreseen."

She strode past him, and the ice returned to Tinyclaw's veins. He had to tell Tigerstar the truth, before anything more could happen!

Tinyclaw ignored Graystripe's grunt of protest and headed for Tigerstar. The massive tabby was just ducking into his den, tail low with grief and tiredness."Tigerstar!" Tinyclaw hissed. "I know I am breaking the vow of silence, but I _must_ speak with you!"

Tigerstar turned his head to look at Tinyclaw. "This is an important ritual, Tinyclaw. What you have to say can – and will – wait until morning," he rumbled.

Tinyclaw sighed, dipping his head. _It's not like the Bluefur problem can be solved in a day, anyway,_ he told himself. He headed back to sit beside Graystripe, feeling the chill against his dark pelt. _It would take time to root out all of her secrets._

Graystripe purred as Tinyclaw settled in beside him – the only sound they could make without breaking their vow. Tinyclaw purred back getting comfortable staring at the entrance. Moonlight washed over the camp, and a light breeze rustled the branches of the trees. Tinyclaw's eyes followed some dark leaves as they fluttered to the ground.

Tinyclaw closed his eyes, suddenly recalling the dreams from his kittenhood – pairs of strange eyes, watching him as he hunted in a lush meadow. Now Tinyclaw could recognize the eyes as the eyes of his Clanmates, of ThunderClan. Now he could see himself prowling confidently through the woods, free of his Twoleg bonds, his ice-blue eyes sparkling with confidence as they met another pair of blue eyes.

_Bluefur!_

Tinyclaw opened his eyes. In the gloom of the warrior's den, he spotted Bluefur's blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight, watching him with an unreadable expression. She blinked once, and then turned away to settle down. Tinyclaw, twitched his whiskers.

_My mentor is now my enemy,_ Tinyclaw thought. There was some sadness in that – he had looked up to her so much, and had to admit that some part of him still did. But she had betrayed the Clan, and he couldn't help but feel like she was a danger.

Tinyclaw adjusted his paws, flexing his claws. _Let her try something - anything,_ he thought, confidence searing his pelt. _She taught me everything she knows. She made me stronger, faster, and smarter. Let's see how she feels when I turn what she taught me against her – if I am destined to oppose Bluefur, then so be it._

_I welcome the challenge._


End file.
